Selank
Also: TP-7, Thr-Lys-Pro-Arg-Pro-Gly-Pro
This profile summarizes research context only. It is not medical advice and does not describe how to use this compound in humans or animals — no dosing, administration, or protocols. Learn more
Selank is a synthetic heptapeptide analog of the naturally occurring immunomodulatory peptide tuftsin, discussed primarily in preclinical neuroscience and immunology research. In the literature it is examined mainly in rodent behavioral models and in mechanistic, cell-based systems rather than in humans. The available human evidence is limited and concentrated within a small number of research groups, so findings should be interpreted cautiously and not taken as established outcomes. It is described as a research compound and is not an approved therapeutic in major Western regulatory frameworks.
Mechanism as described in the literature
Selank is a synthetic heptapeptide derived from the endogenous tetrapeptide tuftsin, extended with a C-terminal Pro-Gly-Pro sequence that is reported in the research literature to improve metabolic stability relative to the parent fragment. In preclinical and in-vitro studies it has been described as interacting with monoaminergic and GABAergic signaling and as being associated with changes in the expression of mediators such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and certain cytokines; these observations are characterized largely in rodent models and cell-based systems and have not been established in humans.
Because it shares structural features with tuftsin, parts of the literature also discuss immunomodulatory and enzyme-interaction effects, including possible influence on peptidase activity affecting endogenous regulatory peptides. These proposed pathways remain provisional, have not been consistently confirmed in well-controlled human studies, and should be read as hypotheses generated by limited preclinical evidence rather than as established mechanisms of action.
Research areas
- Stress-related behavioral paradigms in rodent models (preclinical)
- Monoaminergic and GABAergic neurotransmission (mechanistic / in-vitro)
- BDNF and neurotrophic gene-expression changes (preclinical)
- Immunomodulation and cytokine signaling, via the tuftsin lineage (preclinical)
- Peptide stability and peptidase / endogenous-peptide interactions (in-vitro / mechanistic)
Documentation notes
References
Frequently asked questions
What is Selank?+
Selank is a synthetic heptapeptide analog of the naturally occurring peptide tuftsin, discussed primarily in preclinical neuroscience and immunology research. It is described in the literature as a research compound, not an approved therapeutic.
Is Selank proven to work in humans?+
No. Most published evidence comes from animal models and in-vitro systems, and the small body of human research is limited in size and design. Any conclusions about human effects remain unverified and require careful interpretation.
How is Selank related to tuftsin?+
Selank is built from the tuftsin sequence with an added Pro-Gly-Pro segment reported to improve stability. This shared origin is why parts of the literature discuss immune-related mechanisms alongside neurological ones.