Regenerative and Protective Actions of the GHK-Cu Peptide in the Light of the New Gene Data

• Main Authors: Loren Pickart, Anna Margolina
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2018-07-01
• Series: International Journal of Molecular Sciences
• Subjects: GHK; GHK-Cu; gene profiling; wound healing; COPD; skin regeneration; anti-oxidant; fibrinogen
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/19/7/1987

The human peptide GHK (glycyl-l-histidyl-l-lysine) has multiple biological actions, all of which, according to our current knowledge, appear to be health positive. It stimulates blood vessel and nerve outgrowth, increases collagen, elastin, and glycosaminoglycan synthesis, as well as supports the function of dermal fibroblasts. GHK’s ability to improve tissue repair has been demonstrated for skin, lung connective tissue, boney tissue, liver, and stomach lining. GHK has also been found to possess powerful cell protective actions, such as multiple anti-cancer activities and anti-inflammatory actions, lung protection and restoration of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) fibroblasts, suppression of molecules thought to accelerate the diseases of aging such as NFκB, anti-anxiety, anti-pain and anti-aggression activities, DNA repair, and activation of cell cleansing via the proteasome system. Recent genetic data may explain such diverse protective and healing actions of one molecule, revealing multiple biochemical pathways regulated by GHK.