SS-31 10MG

Overview

SS-31 (CAS 845225-24-3; INN elamipretide) is a synthetic aromatic-cationic tetrapeptide with the sequence D-Arg-Dmt-Lys-Phe-NH2, incorporating the non-natural amino acid 2',6'-dimethyltyrosine (Dmt), which contributes structural rigidity and increased membrane affinity. Developed by Hazel Szeto and Peter Schiller, the molecule was engineered to take advantage of the electrostatic gradient across the inner mitochondrial membrane, allowing it to concentrate there without relying on active transport — a targeting strategy aimed at the primary site of mitochondrial ROS generation and ATP synthesis.

Within the inner membrane, SS-31's principal molecular target is cardiolipin, a phospholipid largely unique to this membrane that scaffolds the respiratory chain complexes and helps maintain cristae structure. The peptide binds cardiolipin with high affinity and is reported to stabilize its association with cytochrome c, an electron-transport junction known to be disrupted under oxidative stress. Preclinical research has examined how this interaction relates to electron transport chain integrity, superoxide generation, and ATP output under conditions of mitochondrial stress, ischemia, or age-related decline.