This is a working overview of GHRH analog, written for readers who want more than a one-paragraph summary but less than a textbook.
Reviewed 2025-10-04. Anything still debated is marked as such rather than presented as settled.
Naming in this area is inconsistent, and readers should treat product labels with care. In much of the literature and in vendor catalogs, the unqualified term refers to the albumin-binding version, while the version lacking the DAC group appears as modified GRF(1-29), mod GRF(1-29), or the same name with a without-DAC qualifier. Because one abbreviation has been applied to both materials, the only reliable way to identify a sample is to check the stated sequence and the presence of the linker.
CJC-1295 is the name used for a synthetic peptide modeled on growth hormone-releasing hormone, the hypothalamic signal that prompts the pituitary to release growth hormone. The compound was described by a Canadian drug discovery company in the mid-2000s as a long-acting research tool. Two closely related molecules share the name in practice: one carries a drug affinity complex, or DAC, group, and one does not. The distinction matters because the two behave differently in circulation.
The peptide backbone includes a D-alanine at position two, which resists cleavage by dipeptidyl peptidase IV, and several other substitutions that reduce degradation. Its molecular weight is roughly 3.4 kDa without the linker and about 3.6 kDa with it. The molecule is water soluble and is normally supplied as a lyophilized powder. Precise sequence and mass values depend on which variant is described, so technical documents usually state the exact form being referenced.
CJC-1295 is a synthetic peptide designed as a long-acting analogue of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH). Its structure derives from the first 29 amino acids of native GHRH, a fragment often called GRF(1-29). Four substitutions were introduced to slow enzymatic breakdown and extend activity relative to the natural sequence. The compound was developed by ConjuChem as part of a broader effort to improve the pharmacokinetic profile of peptide hormones. It is studied in laboratory and clinical research settings rather than appearing as a naturally occurring substance.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Molecular class | Synthetic peptide | GHRH analog, not a steroid |
| Backbone length | 29 amino acids | Based on GRF(1-29) |
| Substitutions | Four positions | D-Ala2, Gln8, Ala15, Leu27 |
| Appearance | White to off-white powder | Typical lyophilized research material |
| Common synonyms | Modified GRF(1-29) | Usage varies between sources |
Pharmacokinetic behaviour differs sharply between the two forms. The DAC-bearing peptide shows an extended circulation time measured in days, whereas the version without the complex is cleared within roughly half an hour. This gap shapes how researchers design dosing schedules in animal models. Whether the prolonged presence of the DAC form produces effects meaningfully different from the short-acting variant remains an open question, since comparative human data are scarce.
CJC-1295 is a synthetic peptide designed to mimic growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), the endogenous signal that prompts the pituitary gland to release growth hormone. The compound is a modified fragment of the natural hormone, spanning the first twenty-nine amino acids of GHRH with several substitutions that slow enzymatic breakdown. Two variants circulate in research settings: one carrying a drug affinity complex (DAC) and one without it. The DAC-free form is frequently labelled Mod GRF(1-29) in catalogs and discussion forums.
The peptide binds GHRH receptors on somatotroph cells within the anterior pituitary, triggering a signalling cascade that increases growth hormone secretion. Its improved resistance to dipeptidyl peptidase IV degradation distinguishes it from the parent hormone. In the DAC-bearing version, a maleimide group reacts with a cysteine residue on serum albumin, forming a covalent bond that keeps the peptide in circulation far longer. That albumin attachment is the central design feature separating the two research variants.
Clearance profiles diverge sharply between the two versions. The albumin-binding molecule stays in plasma for several days, whereas the unmodified analog is largely gone within about half an hour in reported work. Cleavage by dipeptidyl peptidase IV is a major contributor to the short life of the unmodified sequence. These gaps mean the two versions cannot be substituted for each other in study design or in reading results side by side.
Reports on this compound commonly follow serum growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor 1 across defined time windows. Protocols differ in sampling frequency, assay platform, and participant characteristics, which makes direct comparison between publications difficult. Some work focuses on pulsatile release patterns instead of average concentrations. Whether repeated exposure alters endogenous hormone rhythms over long periods remains an open question, and the formal literature is thinner than the volume of informal commentary implies.
Once in circulation, the peptide binds the growth hormone-releasing hormone receptor displayed on pituitary somatotroph cells. Receptor activation couples to Gs proteins, elevates intracellular cyclic AMP, and drives protein kinase A signaling inside the cell. That cascade increases discharge of growth hormone into the bloodstream. The analog therefore operates through a receptor pathway that already exists for the body's own releasing hormone, rather than through an engineered artificial target.
Reconstitution is typically performed with sterile water or bacteriostatic water, added slowly against the vial wall. The resulting solution should be clear and colorless; cloudiness or visible particles suggest a problem with the material or the diluent. Once in solution, the peptide is less stable than the dry powder. Refrigerated storage at two to eight degrees Celsius is common for short-term holding, while freezing aliquots is described for longer periods.
Purity is most often assessed by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, reported as a percentage of total peak area. Identity is confirmed by mass spectrometry, which yields a molecular ion consistent with the expected sequence. Amino acid analysis and peptide mapping provide additional characterization. Reported purity values are method-dependent, so figures from different laboratories are not always directly comparable without details of column, gradient, and detection wavelength.
The attached maleimide group explains the unusual duration of the DAC version. After injection it reacts with the thiol of cysteine-34 on serum albumin, forming a stable covalent bond. The resulting conjugate is too large for rapid kidney filtration and is shielded from many peptidases. Reported half-lives for this form reach several days, whereas the version without the group is cleared in roughly half an hour. That gap is the main pharmacological difference between the two.
Downstream of growth hormone, the liver and other tissues increase production of insulin-like growth factor 1, a mediator of many growth-promoting effects. Studies have documented elevated levels of both hormones after dosing, and the rise from the long-acting form persists longer than that produced by shorter-acting analogues. What remains unclear is whether sustained elevation of these markers translates into meaningful clinical benefit, and whether prolonged exposure carries risks that short trials could not detect.
CJC-1295 acts at the growth hormone-releasing hormone receptor, a G-protein-coupled receptor found on somatotroph cells in the anterior pituitary. Binding triggers a rise in cyclic AMP and calcium entry, which promotes release of stored growth hormone. Because the peptide mimics the body's own releasing hormone, it amplifies existing secretory pulses rather than driving continuous output. The size of the response therefore depends partly on the subject's own hormonal rhythm and feedback state.
=== Beige fat and WAT browning === Browning of WAT, also referred to as "beiging", occurs when adipocytes within WAT depots develop features of BAT. Beige adipocytes take on a multilocular appearance (containing several lipid droplets) and increase expression of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1). In doing so, these normally energy-storing adipocytes become energy-releasing adipocytes. The calorie-burning capacity of brown and beige fat has been extensively studied as research efforts focus on therapies targeted to treat obesity and diabetes. The drug 2,4-dinitrophenol, which also acts as a chemical uncoupler similarly to UCP1, was used for weight loss in the 1930s. However, it was quickly discontinued when excessive dosing led to adverse side effects including hyperthermia and death. β3-adrenergic agonists, like CL316,243, have also been developed and tested in humans. However, the use of such drugs has proven largely unsuccessful due to several challenges, including varying species receptor specificity and poor oral bioavailability. Cold is a primary regulator of BAT processes and induces WAT browning. Browning in response to chronic cold exposure has been well documented and is a reversible process. A study in mice demonstrated that cold-induced browning can be completely reversed in 21 days, with measurable decreases in UCP1 seen within a 24-hour period. A study by Rosenwald et al. revealed that when the animals are re-exposed to a cold environment, the same adipocytes will adopt a beige phenotype, suggesting that beige adipocytes are retained.
=== Food science === Microfluidic techniques such as droplet microfluidics, paper microfluidics, and lab-on-a-chip are used in the realm of food science in a variety of categories. Research in nutrition, food processing, and food safety benefit from microfluidic technique because experiments can be done with less reagents. Food processing requires the ability to enable shelf stability in foods, such as emulsions or additions of preservatives. Techniques such as droplet microfluidics are used to create emulsions that are more controlled and complex than those created by traditional homogenization due to the precision of droplets that is achievable. Using microfluidics for emulsions is also more energy efficient compared to homogenization in which "only 5% of the supplied energy is used to generate the emulsion, with the rest dissipated as heat" . Although these methods have benefits, they currently lack the ability to be produced at large scale that is needed for commercialization. Microfluidics are also used in research as they allow for innovation in food chemistry and food processing. An example in food engineering research is a novel micro-3D-printed device fabricated to research production of droplets for potential food processing industry use, particularly in work with enhancing emulsions. Paper and droplet microfluidics allow for devices that can detect small amounts of unwanted bacteria or chemicals, making them useful in food safety and analysis.
== Molecules == The following tables list molecules that have been detected in the interstellar medium or circumstellar matter, grouped by the number of component atoms. Neutral molecules and their molecular ions are listed in separate columns; if there is no entry in the molecule column, only the ionized form has been detected. Designations (names of molecules) are those used in the scientific literature describing the detection; if none was given that field is left empty. Mass is listed in daltons. Deuterated molecules, which contain at least one deuterium (2H) atom, have slightly different masses and are listed in a separate table. The total number of unique species, including distinct ionization states, is indicated in each section header. Most of the molecules detected so far are organic. The only detected inorganic molecule with five or more atoms is SiH4. Molecules larger than that all have at least one carbon atom, with no N−N or O−O bonds.
=== E-cigarettes === The American Lung Association listed use of flavored e-cigarettes as a risk factor for BO in 2016. Health Canada has, however, seen no cases as of 2023. Public Health England writes that the association has come about as "some flavourings used in e-liquids to provide a buttery flavour contain the chemical diacetyl… However, diacetyl is banned as an ingredient from e-cigarettes and e-liquids in the UK." The UK National Health Service's website states that "vaping does not cause 'popcorn lung'".
=== Human Warnings === Difloxacin has been approved for animal use only. Keep out of reach of children. Avoid contact with eyes. In case of contact, immediately flush eyes with copious amounts of water for fifteen minutes. In case of dermal contact, wash skin with soap and water. Consult a physician if symptoms persists following exposure. Individuals with a history of hypersensitivity to quinolones should avoid this product. In humans, there is a risk of user photosensitization within a few hours after excessive exposure to quinolones. If excessive accidental exposure occurs, avoid direct sunlight.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
=== Organic synthesis === Acetonitrile is a common two-carbon building block in organic synthesis of many useful chemicals, including acetamidine hydrochloride, thiamine, and 1-naphthaleneacetic acid, along with more complex nitriles. Its reaction with cyanogen chloride affords malononitrile.
== Limitations == By nature, assays must be carried out in a controlled environment in vitro, so this method does not provide information about receptor binding in vivo. The results obtained can only verify that a specific ligand fits a receptor, but assays provide no way of knowing the distribution of ligand-binding receptors in an organism. In vivo ligand binding and receptor distribution can be studied using Positron Emission Tomography (PET), which works by induction of a radionuclide into a ligand, which is then released into the body of a studied organism. The radiolabeled ligands are spatially located by a PET scanner to reveal areas in the organism with high concentrations of receptors.
sanctions from 1981 to 2000, political scientist Dursun Peksen found sanctions to be counterproductive, failing to improve human rights and instead leading to a further decrease in sanctioned countries' "respect for physical integrity rights, including freedom from disappearances, extrajudicial killings, torture, and political imprisonment." Former CIA Deputy Director David Cohen wrote that the logic of coercive sanctions "does not hold, however, when the objective of sanctions is regime change. Put simply, because the cost of relinquishing power will always exceed the benefit of sanctions relief, a targeted state cannot conceivably accede to a demand for regime change." Political scientist Lisa Martin criticized a game theory view of sanctions, arguing that proponents characterize success so broadly—applying it to outcomes from "renegotiation" to "influencing global public opinion"—that the terminology of "winning" and "losing" overextends those concepts.
=== Flagship facility === UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside is UPMC's primary flagship medical entity and represents the core of UPMC's academic, teaching, trauma, specialty and research-related facilities, serving as the system's primary academic hub and Pennsylvania's largest inpatient acute care hospital. UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside includes UPMC Presbyterian hospital and the physically conjoined UPMC Eye & Ear and UPMC Montefiore hospitals as well as the UPMC Western Psychiatric Hospital that also serves as the University of Pittsburgh's Thomas Detre Hall. These facilities are all located on the western side of the University of Pittsburgh's main campus in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh. The hospitals are also physically connected to the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine's Scaife Hall, the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing's Victoria Hall, Falk Clinic, three of the university's biomedical science towers, and the university's Lothrop Hall dormitory, all of which are surrounded by a variety of other academic facilities. UPMC Presbyterian Shadyside also encompasses the UPMC Shadyside hospital campus which includes the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute in the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center which are located near the university's Centre Plaza Apartments student housing. The UPMC Shadyside facilities are located in the adjacent neighborhood of Shadyside approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from the Oakland-based hospitals and are connected by regular shuttle service.
PhCH2OH + COCl2 → PhCH2OC(O)Cl + HCl Phosgene is used in excess to minimise the production of the carbonate (PhCH2O)2C=O. The use of phosgene gas in the lab preparation carries a very large health hazard, and has been implicated in the chronic pulmonary disease of pioneers in the usage of the compound such as Zervas.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
No. It is a laboratory-made analog of growth hormone-releasing hormone. The natural hormone is a 44-residue peptide, while the analog is built on a shorter 29-residue fragment.
The original material included a linker that binds serum albumin. A later variant removed that linker to reduce the duration of action. Catalogs and papers did not consistently adopt separate names, so both remain widely labeled with the same term.
The amino acid sequence and the presence or absence of the linker group. Mass measured by spectrometry gives an independent check that separates the two forms.
No. It is a synthetic analogue modeled on the first 29 residues of human GHRH. The substitutions and any linker are laboratory modifications rather than features of the endogenous peptide.