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Kisspeptin-10: Compound Profile
Kisspeptin sits at the top of the reproductive-signaling cascade, upstream of the GnRH neurons that Gonadorelin mimics. Kisspeptin-10 is the minimal active fragment researchers use to probe that step. This profile covers what it is relative to its parent gene product, the receptor mechanism the literature attributes to it, and where it sits in the neuropeptide class. For the wider class, see the neuropeptides overview.
What is Kisspeptin-10?#
Kisspeptin-10 is a decapeptide (Tyr-Asn-Trp-Asn-Ser-Phe-Gly-Leu-Arg-Phe-amide) cleaved from the C-terminus of the KISS1 gene product (UniProt Q15726), a 138-residue precursor first characterized as a metastasis suppressor and later found to be the ligand for an orphan receptor. Longer kisspeptin fragments (KP-54, KP-14, KP-13) share the same C-terminal ten residues, and that shared decapeptide is the part that binds the receptor. Because the fragments differ only in length upstream of this motif, the reliable identity anchor is the parent KISS1 record and its receptor rather than a single fragment mass.
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Common name | Kisspeptin-10 (KP-10, metastin 45-54) |
| Class | C-terminal decapeptide of the KISS1 gene product |
| Sequence | Tyr-Asn-Trp-Asn-Ser-Phe-Gly-Leu-Arg-Phe-NH₂ (YNWNSFGLRF-NH₂) |
| Parent record | UniProt Q15726 (KISS1), gene KISS1 |
| Receptor | KISS1R / GPR54 — UniProt Q969F8, a class-A GPCR |
| Shared motif | The C-terminal decapeptide common to KP-54/14/13 |
| Reported role | Upstream activation of GnRH signaling in the reproductive axis (research models) |
How does the receptor mechanism work?#
The decapeptide binds KISS1R (GPR54), a Gq-coupled receptor expressed on gonadotropin-releasing-hormone (GnRH) neurons. In the Kiss1/GPR54 signaling literature, receptor activation is reported to raise GnRH and gonadotropin-related gene expression in the hypothalamic-pituitary axis of animal models. Cell-model work has attributed the downstream signal to PI3K/AKT/ERK pathway activation. The kisspeptin neurons themselves are studied as part of a "KNDy" population, and stem-cell differentiation work has modeled how those neurons connect to GnRH neurons. All of this is preclinical research and does not describe effects in people.
Where Kisspeptin-10 sits in the neuropeptide class#
Within the neuropeptide class, Kisspeptin-10 is a reproductive-axis signaling peptide, which places it directly upstream of Gonadorelin — the GnRH decapeptide it is reported to act above. Where Gonadorelin engages the GnRH receptor on the pituitary, Kisspeptin-10 is studied one step earlier, at the neurons that release GnRH. That upstream position is the reason the two are studied together as a signaling pair rather than interchangeable tools.
Handling and storage#
Kisspeptin-10 is supplied as a lyophilized solid and dissolved prior to use. As a short C-terminal-amidated peptide it is handled like the rest of the catalog: the reconstitution primer covers solvent selection and aggregation, and the cold-chain article covers how stability changes once the powder is in solution.
Frequently asked
- What is Kisspeptin-10?
- Kisspeptin-10 is the C-terminal decapeptide of the KISS1 gene product and the shortest kisspeptin fragment that still activates the KISS1R (GPR54) receptor. Research studies it for its role in GnRH and reproductive-axis signaling. It is a laboratory research compound and is not for human use.
- What is the difference between Kisspeptin-10 and Kisspeptin-54?
- They share the same active C-terminal ten residues; Kisspeptin-54 (metastin) is the longer fragment and Kisspeptin-10 is the minimal fragment that still binds the receptor. Both are cleaved from the same KISS1 precursor, which is why the KISS1 record and the KISS1R receptor are the reliable identity anchors.
- How does Kisspeptin-10 relate to Gonadorelin?
- In the reproductive-signaling cascade studied in animal models, kisspeptin acts upstream of GnRH: it stimulates the neurons that release GnRH, whereas Gonadorelin is the GnRH peptide acting on the pituitary receptor. They are studied as an upstream/downstream signaling pair. This is preclinical research and does not describe human outcomes.
Sources and further reading#
- KISS1, UniProt Q15726: canonical sequence and annotation for the parent gene product of Kisspeptin-10.
- KISS1R / GPR54, UniProt Q969F8: the receptor the kisspeptin decapeptide activates.
- Kiss1/GPR54 system in the hypothalamus and pituitary (PMID 42188598): a study of Kiss1/GPR54 signaling and GnRH-related gene expression in an animal model. Toxins 2026.
- Kisspeptin-10 signaling via the PI3K/AKT/ERK pathway (PMID 41952615): a cell-model study of the downstream signaling engaged by KISS1R activation. Molecular Reproduction and Development 2026.
- In vitro differentiation of hypothalamic KNDy neurons (PMID 41736118): a stem-cell model of the kisspeptin neurons and their connection to GnRH neurons. Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology 2026.
Last updated: 2026-08-16