IGF-1 DES (1-3)
N-terminally truncated IGF-1 variant studied for localized, short-acting anabolic effects.
Research overview
IGF-DES, also known as DES(1-3)IGF-1, is a truncated analogue of Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1). This variant is missing the first three amino acids from its N-terminus, resulting in a 67-amino acid chain instead of the 70-amino acid sequence of native IGF-1.
The primary functional consequence of this truncation is a dramatically reduced binding affinity for the Insulin-like Growth Factor-Binding Proteins (IGFBPs). Since the N-terminus is the principal site where these regulatory proteins bind, its removal allows IGF-DES to more freely access and activate IGF-1 receptors on target cells. This makes IGF-DES significantly more potent than native IGF-1, with some in vitro studies suggesting it is up to 10 times more active in stimulating cell growth.
However, unlike long-acting analogues, IGF-DES has a very short half-life, leading to a strong, but localized and transient, anabolic effect. It is an experimental peptide used in research to study acute, localized IGF-1 signaling.
Peer-Reviewed Research (PubMed)
Selected landmark / highly-cited studies indexed on PubMed.
- 1.Truncated forms of IGF-I and IGF-II: structure-activity relationshipsBallard FJ, et al. — Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 1987
- 2.Des(1-3)IGF-I, a potent growth factor for cells in cultureFrancis GL, et al. — Journal of Endocrinology, 1989
- 3.Most cited IGF-1 DES studies (PubMed)Multiple authors — PubMed search
Studied benefits
- 10x lower IGFBP-3 binding
- Localized tissue activity
- Short half-life
- Studied for muscle hypertrophy
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