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Longevity & Cellular Health · Reference monograph

24-residue mitochondrial-derived peptide with cytoprotective activity

Reference compound — not available from Purity Peptides. Shown for research context.

Overview

Humanin is a 24-amino-acid peptide discovered in 2001 by a Japanese group screening a cDNA library from the brain of a person with Alzheimer's disease for genes that protect neurons against amyloid-related toxicity. Its sequence is encoded within the mitochondrial 16S ribosomal RNA gene, making it the first recognised member of a class now called mitochondrial-derived peptides.

Subsequent research has examined humanin well beyond neuroscience. Studies in cells and rodents have reported protective effects in models of oxidative stress, ischaemia, atherosclerosis and insulin resistance, and observational work has linked circulating humanin levels to age and metabolic status. Potent synthetic analogues, such as the S14G variant, have been used to amplify these effects experimentally. No human therapeutic trials have been completed, and humanin remains an exploratory research peptide. It is supplied here for laboratory investigation of mitochondrial signalling and cytoprotection.

Mechanism studied

  1. Humanin
  2. FPRL1 / gp130 receptor
  3. STAT3 / anti-apoptotic
  4. Cell survival

Humanin acts through both extracellular and intracellular routes. Outside the cell, it binds formyl-peptide receptor-like 1 and a trimeric receptor complex involving CNTFR, WSX-1 and gp130, activating JAK2/STAT3 survival signalling. Inside the cell, it interacts with pro-apoptotic proteins such as BAX and with IGFBP-3, blocking their translocation and limiting apoptosis. In metabolic studies, central humanin signalling improved hepatic insulin sensitivity in rodents. These multiple binding partners may explain its broad cytoprotective profile in experimental models.

Research highlights

  • 01Discovered in 2001 in a screen for neuroprotective genes in Alzheimer's brain tissue
  • 02Encoded within mitochondrial 16S rRNA — the first known mitochondrial-derived peptide
  • 03Acts through FPRL1 and gp130-based receptors as well as intracellular BAX binding
  • 04Cytoprotective and insulin-sensitising effects reported in rodent models
  • 05No completed human therapeutic trials to date

Latest published research

550 papers on PubMed →

  1. Humanin variants differentially regulate BID fibrilization and suppress BAX- and BID-dependent membrane permeabilization

    Puja R et al. · The Journal of biological chemistry · 2026 Oct 23 · PMID 42918500

  2. Mitochondrial-derived peptides (MDPs) activated by physical exercise as therapeutic targets for metabolic disorders: A systematic review

    Ayubi N et al. · Physiology international · 2026 Oct 16 · PMID 42640735

  3. Humanin attenuates neuronal cellular senescence and preserves neurotransmitter release in differentiated PC12 cells

    Tanahashi M et al. · Neuroscience · 2026 Oct 12 · PMID 42863694

  4. Mitochondrial-derived peptides in female reproduction: Emerging regulators of oocyte competence and novel therapeutic opportunities for infertility

    Rostami Z et al. · Tissue & cell · 2026 Oct 11 · PMID 42880137

  5. Mitochondrial Peptide SHLP2 Limits Poly(I: C)-Induced Alveolar Epithelial Injury by Modulating Redox, Apoptotic, Inflammatory, and Inflammasome Responses

    Ramazan SB et al. · Cytotechnology · 2026 Oct · PMID 42774487

  6. S14G-humanin attenuates renal ischaemia-reperfusion injury, potentially through activation of STAT3 and ERK1/2 signalling pathways in rats

    Abueid L et al. · Experimental physiology · 2026 Oct · PMID 42672739

  7. A self-assembled peptide forms α-helical nanopores for ultrasensitive biomarker profiling

    Shaji V et al. · Nature nanotechnology · 2026 Oct · PMID 42665653

  8. Humanin ameliorates diabetes-induced testicular damage in a streptozotocin-induced mouse model

    Hekim MG et al. · Experimental physiology · 2026 Oct · PMID 42438323

Live feed from PubMed (NCBI) for “Humanin”, updated 2026-10-30. Listing a paper is not an endorsement of its findings.

Registered studies

3 on ClinicalTrials.gov →

From the public ClinicalTrials.gov registry for “Humanin”, updated 2026-10-30. Shown for research context only; Purity Peptides products are not for human use.

Key references

  1. [1]Hashimoto et al., 2001 — PNAS 98(11):6336–6341
  2. [2]PubMed — reviews on humanin

FAQ

  • It is a short peptide encoded by a small open reading frame within the mitochondrial genome. Humanin was the first identified; MOTS-c and the SHLP family were found later. These peptides are studied as signalling molecules that may link mitochondrial function to cellular stress responses and metabolism.

  • Lyophilized Humanin is normally kept sealed at −20 °C, protected from light and moisture. Once reconstituted for laboratory work, aliquots are held at 2–8 °C for short-term use or frozen, avoiding repeated freeze–thaw. Follow the lot-specific guidance on the certificate of analysis.

  • Every lot of Humanin ships with a certificate of analysis reporting HPLC purity, mass-spectrometry identity against the expected molecular weight, appearance and lot number. Match the COA lot to the vial label and keep it with your experimental records.

FOR RESEARCH USE ONLY.Not for human or veterinary use. Not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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