Neurotensin (8-13)

Also known as NT(8-13)

The active C-terminal hexapeptide of neurotensin, NT(8-13) is a potent agonist at neurotensin receptors used to study neurotransmission.

Length: 6 amino acids
Half-life: Not well characterised
Mechanism: This C-terminal fragment acts as a potent agonist at neurotensin receptors, particularly NTS1, retaining the primary binding and signaling activity of full-length neurotensin.
Studied in: It is used in neuroscience research to study neurotensin receptor signaling and its modulation of dopaminergic systems in vitro and in ex vivo tissue.

About Neurotensin (8-13)

Neurotensin (8-13) is a hexapeptide fragment corresponding to the C-terminal portion of the full 13-amino acid neurotensin peptide. This fragment, with the sequence Arg-Arg-Pro-Tyr-Ile-Leu, is widely recognized as the core active region of the parent molecule. It is responsible for high-affinity binding to neurotensin receptors and subsequent initiation of intracellular signaling cascades.

Compared to full-length neurotensin, NT(8-13) exhibits similar or even greater potency at the high-affinity neurotensin receptor, NTS1, but is more susceptible to enzymatic degradation. Researchers utilize this fragment as a direct and potent tool to investigate the physiological roles of NTS1 activation. Its applications include studying dopamine release in striatal slices and exploring G-protein coupling in NTS1-expressing cell lines.

Laboratory notes

This hexapeptide contains the essential binding domain of the full neurotensin peptide.
It is more metabolically labile than full-length neurotensin, a factor to consider in the design of longer-duration experiments.
Potency can be cell-type or tissue dependent, based on the local expression levels of peptidases and receptor subtypes.

Storage and reconstitution basics: storage guide.

Questions about Neurotensin (8-13)

Why use Neurotensin (8-13) instead of the full peptide?

NT(8-13) can be used as a more minimal, potent agonist to specifically probe the binding site and core activation mechanism of neurotensin receptors without the N-terminal portion.

What are the primary receptors for this peptide fragment?

It is a potent agonist at neurotensin receptor subtypes NTS1 and NTS2, which are G-protein coupled receptors.

How should this peptide be handled in the lab?

Like most peptides, it should be reconstituted in an appropriate sterile buffer, aliquoted to avoid repeat freeze-thaw cycles, and stored at -20°C or colder.

Is Neurotensin (8-13) for human use?

No. It is supplied strictly for in-vitro laboratory research and is not for human or animal consumption.

Related research peptides

All products are sold for laboratory research use only. Not for human consumption, not a medicine, not for diagnosing, treating or preventing any condition.