Selank Research Overview: The Tuftsin-Derived Heptapeptide

Selank is a synthetic heptapeptide with the sequence Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro. It is built on tuftsin, a naturally occurring four-amino-acid peptide, extended with a Pro-Gly-Pro sequence that makes it more resistant to enzymatic breakdown.

This overview covers tuftsin, how Selank was designed, the laboratory models it has been studied in, and what researchers should keep in mind about its literature.

Tuftsin, the starting point

Tuftsin is the tetrapeptide Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg. It was described by Victor Najjar and colleagues around 1970 as a fragment released from the Fc region of immunoglobulin G (IgG). It was studied mainly for its effects on phagocytic immune cells, and it has its own research literature as an immunomodulatory peptide.

Like many short natural peptides, tuftsin breaks down quickly. That instability limited its usefulness in longer experiments.

How Selank was designed

Selank was developed at the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The researchers added a Pro-Gly-Pro sequence to the C-terminus of tuftsin. Peptides ending in proline-rich sequences are more resistant to the enzymes that degrade natural peptides, so the extension gives Selank a longer working life than tuftsin.

The same Pro-Gly-Pro strategy was used for Semax, another peptide developed at the Russian Academy of Sciences. Our Semax research overview covers it in more detail.

Laboratory models

Preclinical research on Selank includes:

• Rodent models of anxiety-related behaviour, the most frequently reported area
• Gene expression studies in the brain, including genes related to GABAergic signaling
• Studies of serotonergic and other neurotransmitter systems
• Immune signaling models, reflecting its origin in tuftsin
• Studies of enkephalin-degrading enzymes, examining whether Selank affects how quickly these neuropeptides are broken down

Results in rodent models do not establish activity in other systems.

Limits of the literature

Most published research on Selank comes from Russian research groups, often the same institutions that developed it, and a significant share appears in Russian-language journals. Much of it has not been independently replicated by groups outside Russia. Researchers should review the primary literature directly and weigh it with that context in mind.

Handling in the laboratory

Selank is supplied as a lyophilized powder and is generally reconstituted with bacteriostatic water before use. Sealed vials are stored at -20°C, protected from light and moisture.

Testing and documentation

Every lot we sell is tested by Freedom Diagnostics, an independent laboratory, using HPLC for purity and mass spectrometry for identity. Certificates are published in our COA library, and each can be verified directly with the lab using the search code printed on it. Our guide explains how to verify a COA.

Related reading

• Selank (10mg)
• Semax (10mg)
• Neuropeptide Research compounds

For research purposes only. All products from Canada Research Labs are supplied strictly as reference materials for in-vitro laboratory research by qualified professionals. They are not drugs, natural health products or cosmetics, and have not been authorized by Health Canada for any human or veterinary use.