Anti-Aging & Longevity•Mitochondrial
🧬SS-31 (Elamipretide)
Szeto-Schiller tetrapeptide. Targets cardiolipin on the inner mitochondrial membrane. Restores mitochondrial cristae architecture, reduces ROS, and dramatically improves ETC function. In clinical trials for HFrEF and Barth syndrome.
Amino acids
4
Mol. weight
639.8 Da
Half-life
~1–2 hours
Availability
On inquiry
Amino acid sequence
D-Arg-2'6'-dimethyl-Tyr-Lys-Phe-NH₂What Is SS-31?
SS-31 (elamipretide, MTP-131) is a synthetic tetrapeptide developed by Hazel Szeto and Peter Schiller at Weill Cornell Medicine. It selectively concentrates in the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM) where it binds cardiolipin — a unique phospholipid essential for cristae architecture and cytochrome c function.
Key Mechanisms
- Cardiolipin interaction — stabilises cardiolipin-cytochrome c complex; prevents cytochrome c release and apoptosis
- Cristae remodelling — restores collapsed cristae architecture in aged/diseased mitochondria
- ETC efficiency — improves electron flux through Complexes I, II, III, IV; reduces proton leak
- ROS reduction — reduces mitochondrial superoxide and H₂O₂ production by 70–90% in models
- ATP production — restores near-normal ATP synthesis rates in mitochondrial dysfunction models
Key References
- Szeto HH. "First-in-class cardiolipin-protective compound as a therapeutic agent to restore mitochondrial bioenergetics." Br J Pharmacol, 2014;171:2029–2050.
- Gibson CM et al. "EMBRACE STEMI study: a Phase IIa trial of elamipretide." J Am Coll Cardiol, 2016;67(11):1252–1264.
Related in Anti-Aging & Longevity
🧬Telomere Science
Epithalon (Epitalon)
Tetrapeptide derived from pineal gland extract that directly activates telomerase (hTERT), extending telomeres and reversing cellular senescence. 30+ years of peer-reviewed research.
🧬Longevity Core
NAD+ (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide)
The central electron carrier of cellular metabolism and obligate substrate for sirtuins (SIRT1–7), PARPs, and CD38. Declines 50% between ages 40–60.