PT-141 10mg

PT-141 (Bremelanotide) — MC3R & MC4R Melanocortin Agonist Research Peptide

PT-141 (Bremelanotide) is a synthetic cyclic heptapeptide melanocortin receptor agonist and the active metabolite of Melanotan II, formed through in vivo hydrolysis of Melanotan II’s N-terminal acetyl group. It acts as an agonist at melanocortin receptor subtypes MC3R and MC4R — both prominently expressed in the hypothalamus and limbic system. Researchers in CNS pharmacology, hypothalamic biology, and melanocortin receptor research use this PT-141 research peptide to study melanocortin receptor subtype pharmacology, hypothalamic circuit modulation, and centrally mediated signaling pathways. Furthermore, its central mechanism distinguishes it from peripherally acting vascular compounds, enabling clean CNS-specific melanocortin pathway research.

Mechanism of Action

PT-141 binds MC3R and MC4R in the hypothalamus and limbic system, activating Gs-protein coupled adenylyl cyclase signaling and elevating cAMP in melanocortin-responsive neurons. As a result, it modulates hypothalamic circuit activity through melanocortinergic pathways that integrate energy homeostasis, arousal, and motivational signals.

Crucially, PT-141’s mechanism operates centrally through neural melanocortin circuits rather than through peripheral vascular or smooth muscle pathways. Consequently, researchers use it to study the CNS-specific contribution of MC3R and MC4R activation to hypothalamic circuit regulation — independently of the peripheral cardiovascular effects associated with other melanocortin peptides.

Furthermore, MC4R in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus plays roles in energy homeostasis, body weight regulation, and autonomic nervous system modulation. Researchers studying these pathways therefore use PT-141 as a selective central MC4R research tool alongside energy regulation compounds.

Key Research Applications

• Melanocortin receptor pharmacology — Characterization of MC3R and MC4R binding kinetics, cAMP signaling, receptor desensitization, and subtype selectivity profiles using PT-141 as a defined central agonist.
• Hypothalamic circuit research — Studies examining PT-141 effects on hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus activity, melanocortinergic neuron firing patterns, and downstream autonomic output.
• Energy homeostasis research — Investigation of MC4R-mediated energy balance regulation, food intake suppression, and metabolic rate modulation through hypothalamic melanocortin circuit activation.
• Comparative melanocortin research — Experimental designs benchmarking PT-141 against Melanotan I and Melanotan II to characterize receptor subtype selectivity and CNS versus peripheral activity contributions.
• CNS arousal pathway research — Studies examining hypothalamic melanocortin circuit contributions to arousal-related neural activity and motivational state regulation.

Peptide Profile

Reconstitution & Storage

Reconstitute with sterile bacteriostatic water. Add solvent slowly along the vial wall and swirl gently. Store lyophilized vials at −20°C. Once reconstituted, maintain at 4°C and use within 28 days. Avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles.

For research use only. Not intended for human or veterinary administration.