Kisspeptin-10
Published research and evidence base
Kisspeptin-10 (KP-10) is the C-terminal decapeptide fragment of the KISS1 gene product and an agonist at the kisspeptin receptor KISS1R (GPR54). Loss-of-function mutations in KISS1R were shown in 2003 to cause normosmic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, establishing kisspeptin signalling as an upstream regulator of gonadotropin-releasing hormone secretion. Human administration studies, largely conducted at Imperial College London, have examined intravenous, subcutaneous and intranasal kisspeptin and its longer isoform kisspeptin-54 in healthy volunteers and in reproductive disorders. Kisspeptin is an investigational agent; no kisspeptin peptide is approved as a medicine in any major jurisdiction.
- Studies cited
- 16
- Published 2023+
- 12
- Newest paper
- 2026
- Last reviewed
- Aug 2026
Recurring themes in the literature
- KISS1R/GPR54 agonist
- GnRH pulse generator
- gonadotropin secretion
- KNDy neurons
- hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis
- oocyte maturation trigger
- hypoactive sexual desire disorder
- functional hypothalamic amenorrhoea
- central precocious puberty
- kisspeptin-10 versus kisspeptin-54
Compound identifiers
- CAS
- 374675-21-5
- PubChem
- 25240297
What Kisspeptin-10 is, chemically.
- Molecular formula
- C63H83N17O14
- Molecular weight
- 1302.4 g/mol
- CAS number
- 374675-21-5
- PubChem CID
- 25240297
Human metastin 45-54
These figures come from the PubChem record for this compound and describe the free base. Lyophilised peptide is normally supplied as an acetate or trifluoroacetate salt and carries residual water, so the mass of powder in a vial is not the same quantity as the molecular weight above would suggest. Chromatographic purity on a certificate of analysis does not resolve that difference either — how to read a certificate of analysis explains why.
16 published studies.
Ordered by strength of study design, then by recency. Every entry links to its source record so the finding can be checked against the paper rather than taken on our word.
- 01Human clinical2026
Chronic subcutaneous kisspeptin-10 stimulates gonadotropin secretion for 12 days in healthy men.
Yeung AC, Phylactou M, Koysombat K, et al. · European Journal of Endocrinology · randomised controlled trial, chronic subcutaneous kisspeptin-10 administration in healthy men
Continued subcutaneous kisspeptin-10 administration was associated with sustained stimulation of gonadotropin secretion across a 12-day dosing period, without the rapid loss of response reported with some continuous-exposure regimens.
- 03Human clinical2026
Kisspeptin-10/basal LH ratio improves differentiation of central precocious puberty and premature thelarche.
Banerjee AA, Bhanarkar SR, Kashikar S, et al. · Clinica Chimica Acta · diagnostic accuracy study in girls with central precocious puberty versus premature thelarche
The ratio of circulating kisspeptin-10 to basal luteinising hormone discriminated central precocious puberty from premature thelarche more accurately than either measure alone.
- 04Human clinical2025
Intranasal kisspeptin administration rapidly stimulates gonadotropin release in humans.
Mills EG, Silva MSB, Delli V, et al. · EBioMedicine · randomised controlled trial of intranasal kisspeptin in human volunteers, with supporting preclinical work
Intranasal kisspeptin produced a rapid rise in circulating gonadotropins, demonstrating that a non-injectable route can engage the reproductive axis.
- 05Human clinical2025
Kisspeptin Administration Stimulates Reproductive Hormones but Does Not Affect Anxiety in Humans.
Mills EG, Thurston L, Yang L, et al. · The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism · randomised placebo-controlled trial in human volunteers
Kisspeptin administration raised reproductive hormone concentrations but produced no measurable change in anxiety measures compared with placebo.
- 06Human clinical2024
Endocrine profile of the kisspeptin receptor agonist MVT-602 in healthy premenopausal women with and without ovarian stimulation: results from 2 randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials.
Abbara A, Ufer M, Voors-Pette C, et al. · Fertility and Sterility · two randomised, placebo-controlled trials in healthy premenopausal women, kisspeptin receptor agonist MVT-602
The long-acting KISS1R agonist MVT-602 produced a more prolonged luteinising hormone rise than native kisspeptin, in both unstimulated and ovarian-stimulated cycles.
- 07Human clinical2023
Effects of Kisspeptin on Sexual Brain Processing and Penile Tumescence in Men With Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
Mills EG, Ertl N, Wall MB, et al. · JAMA Network Open · randomised double-blind placebo-controlled crossover trial with functional MRI, men with hypoactive sexual desire disorder
Kisspeptin administration modulated brain activity in regions associated with sexual processing and increased penile tumescence relative to placebo.
- 08Human clinical2023
The effects of kisspeptin on food intake in women with overweight or obesity.
Izzi-Engbeaya C, Choudhury MM, Patel B, et al. · Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism · placebo-controlled administration study in women with overweight or obesity
Kisspeptin administration did not produce a significant change in ad libitum food intake in women with overweight or obesity.
- 09Human clinical2015
Direct comparison of the effects of intravenous kisspeptin-10, kisspeptin-54 and GnRH on gonadotrophin secretion in healthy men.
Jayasena CN, Abbara A, Narayanaswamy S, et al. · Human Reproduction · comparative intravenous administration study in healthy men; kisspeptin-10 versus kisspeptin-54 versus GnRH
Kisspeptin-10 and kisspeptin-54 both stimulated gonadotropin secretion, with kisspeptin-54 producing a more prolonged response than the shorter-acting kisspeptin-10.
- 10Human clinical2011
The effects of kisspeptin-10 on reproductive hormone release show sexual dimorphism in humans.
Jayasena CN, Nijher GM, Comninos AN, et al. · The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism · intravenous kisspeptin-10 administration in healthy men and women across menstrual cycle phases
Kisspeptin-10 raised luteinising hormone in men, whereas the response in women depended on menstrual cycle phase, demonstrating sex-dimorphic sensitivity to the peptide.
- 11Human clinical2003
The GPR54 gene as a regulator of puberty.
Seminara SB, Messager S, Chatzidaki EE, et al. · The New England Journal of Medicine · genetic study of a consanguineous family with idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, with mouse knockout confirmation
Loss-of-function mutations in GPR54 (KISS1R) segregated with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, and Gpr54-null mice showed a comparable phenotype, identifying the receptor as a gatekeeper of puberty.
- 12Human clinical2003
Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism due to loss of function of the KiSS1-derived peptide receptor GPR54.
de Roux N, Genin E, Carel JC, Matsuda F, Chaussain JL, Milgrom E. · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · homozygosity mapping in a consanguineous family with normosmic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism
A homozygous deletion in GPR54 was identified in affected family members, independently establishing KISS1R signalling as required for normal GnRH-driven reproductive function.
- 13Animal in vivo2026
Kisspeptin-10 Promotes Hormone Secretion, Ovarian Follicles Development and Fecundity via PI3K/AKT/ERK Signal Pathway in Mice.
Suocheng W, Linglong X, Jingshuang G, Zhenya G, Yuan C. · Molecular Reproduction and Development · mice treated with kisspeptin-10
Kisspeptin-10 treatment increased reproductive hormone secretion and follicular development in mice, with effects attributed to PI3K/AKT and ERK signalling.
- 14Review2026
Kisspeptin as a test of hypothalamic dysfunction in pubertal and reproductive disorders.
Pierret ACS, Patel AH, Daniels E, Comninos AN, Dhillo WS, Abbara A. · Andrology · narrative review of kisspeptin as a diagnostic stimulation test
The review summarised evidence that kisspeptin administration probes GnRH neuronal function directly and reported its investigational use in distinguishing constitutional delay of puberty from congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism.
- 15Review2025
Kisspeptin and neurokinin B: roles in reproductive health.
Koysombat K, Tsoutsouki J, Patel AH, et al. · Physiological Reviews · comprehensive physiological review
The review consolidated the KNDy neuron model in which kisspeptin, neurokinin B and dynorphin jointly shape GnRH pulse generation, and catalogued human administration data for kisspeptin-10 and kisspeptin-54.
- 16Review2024
Kisspeptin in functional hypothalamic amenorrhea: Pathophysiology and therapeutic potential.
Patel AH, Koysombat K, Pierret A, Young M, Comninos AN, Dhillo WS, Abbara A. · Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences · narrative review
The review described reduced kisspeptin tone as a candidate mechanism in functional hypothalamic amenorrhoea and summarised early human data on kisspeptin administration restoring luteinising hormone pulsatility.
What this evidence does not establish.
Human kisspeptin studies have been predominantly acute, single-centre, small-sample administration experiments in healthy volunteers, with few randomised trials reporting clinical endpoints such as live birth, pregnancy or sustained symptomatic improvement. Much of the human clinical work used kisspeptin-54 rather than kisspeptin-10, long-term safety data are absent, and no kisspeptin peptide has regulatory approval for any indication.
Common questions about the research.
- What is Kisspeptin-10?
Kisspeptin-10 is a decapeptide — the shortest fully active fragment of the kisspeptin family encoded by the KISS1 gene. It is an agonist at KISS1R (formerly the orphan receptor GPR54), which sits upstream of GnRH neurons in the hypothalamus.
- How does it differ from kisspeptin-54?
They share the C-terminal RF-amide motif required for receptor binding and act at the same receptor, but differ in length and in circulating profile. Much of the foundational human work used kisspeptin-54 by infusion, while the 2011 study on this page used kisspeptin-10 by bolus and by continuous infusion.
- How does it differ from HCG?
They act at different levels of the reproductive axis. HCG acts directly at the gonadal LH/hCG receptor, bypassing the brain entirely. Kisspeptin-10 acts several steps higher, at KISS1R on hypothalamic GnRH neurons, so its downstream effect depends on the pituitary and gonadal machinery below it responding normally.
Available from our catalog
For research purposes only. Not for human consumption, diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of any condition. Nothing on this page is medical advice, and no study summarised here should be read as a recommendation.