Name: PT-141 10mg
Brand: RetaLABS.is
SKU: pt-141-10mg

Question 1

What is PT-141 (Bremelanotide) used for in research?

Accepted Answer

PT-141 (Bremelanotide) is researched primarily for its activity at melanocortin receptors in the central nervous system, particularly at MC3R and MC4R, which mediate diverse physiological effects including appetite regulation, energy homeostasis, and cardiovascular autonomic control. As a cyclic heptapeptide acting centrally, PT-141 provides a research model for dissecting CNS melanocortin signalling from peripheral effects, which is valuable in neuroendocrinology and behavioural pharmacology. Research on MC4R signalling specifically has established connections to hypothalamic appetite regulation (MC4R knockout models develop obesity in rodents), and PT-141's MC4R agonism makes it a tool for studying this pathway pharmacologically. MC1R activation by PT-141 provides utility in melanogenesis research, studying the regulation of melanin synthesis in melanocyte culture models. MC3R agonism has been studied in the context of energy balance and anti-inflammatory signalling at peripheral immune sites expressing this receptor subtype. These multi-receptor research applications span neuroendocrinology, dermatology, and metabolic biology.

Question 2

How does PT-141 differ from Melanotan II?

Accepted Answer

PT-141 (Bremelanotide) is the carboxyl-terminal metabolite of Melanotan II (MT-II), generated through enzymatic hydrolysis of MT-II's C-terminal amide group. Despite their structural similarity, the two peptides have distinct pharmacological profiles that make them useful for different research applications. Melanotan II retains strong agonist activity at MC1R (the melanocortin receptor responsible for pigmentation via melanin synthesis in melanocytes), producing robust tanning effects in vivo. PT-141, lacking the C-terminal amide, has significantly reduced MC1R potency while retaining activity at MC3R and MC4R (the centrally expressed subtypes). This pharmacological selectivity makes PT-141 a cleaner tool for studying CNS melanocortin pathways without the confounding contribution of peripheral melanogenic activity. In research terms, comparing MT-II and PT-141 across the same model system allows researchers to attribute differences in response specifically to MC1R-driven peripheral effects versus MC3R/MC4R-driven central effects, a pharmacological dissection strategy not possible with either compound alone.

Question 3

How should PT-141 be stored?

Accepted Answer

Lyophilised PT-141 should be stored at −20°C, protected from light and moisture. PT-141 is a cyclic heptapeptide (the cyclisation confers structural rigidity that generally improves metabolic stability and protease resistance compared to linear peptides of the same molecular weight, and contributes to its good lyophilised stability during storage. Keep vials sealed until use. When ready to reconstitute, allow the vial to equilibrate to room temperature briefly before opening to minimise condensation, then add bacteriostatic water by slow injection along the vial wall and gently swirl. Once reconstituted, refrigerate at 2–8°C and use within four weeks. Label with the reconstitution date and concentration. For protocols that extend beyond the four-week reconstituted window, prepare aliquots from the freshly reconstituted vial, freeze at −20°C, and thaw one aliquot per experimental session) minimising the total number of freeze-thaw cycles for any single aliquot.

Question 4

What receptors does PT-141 bind?

Accepted Answer

PT-141 is a non-selective melanocortin receptor agonist with documented binding activity at MC1R, MC3R, MC4R, and MC5R. The relative potency across these receptor subtypes makes it a useful but non-selective pharmacological tool. Research interest focuses predominantly on MC3R and MC4R due to their expression patterns and physiological roles in the CNS: MC4R is expressed in the hypothalamus and is a well-established regulator of energy homeostasis, feeding behaviour, and autonomic nervous system activity; MC3R is expressed in the hypothalamus, limbic system, and peripheral immune cells where it modulates energy balance and inflammatory responses. MC1R activity (peripheral melanogenesis) is less prominent with PT-141 than with Melanotan II. MC5R is expressed in exocrine glands and immune cells. For researchers requiring receptor subtype selectivity, PT-141 serves as a broad melanocortin agonist tool; subtype-selective agonists and antagonists are typically used alongside PT-141 as pharmacological controls in dissection experiments.

PT-141 10mg

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