A practical reference on visceral adiposity: what it is, how it behaves, what the literature reports, and where the honest uncertainties sit.
Reviewed 2026-04-06. Anything still debated is marked as such rather than presented as settled.
Tesamorelin is a synthetic peptide that belongs to the growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) family. Its sequence corresponds to the fully active 44-amino-acid form of human GHRH, with a single structural modification: the addition of a trans-3-hexenoyl group at the N-terminus. That modification is not found in the naturally occurring hormone and was introduced deliberately during development to improve stability against enzymatic degradation. The compound is therefore best described as a stabilized analogue rather than a naturally occurring peptide.
The native hormone is produced in the hypothalamus and acts on the anterior pituitary. Binding of GHRH to its receptor stimulates synthesis and release of growth hormone into circulation. Because the analogue retains the receptor-binding region of the parent sequence, it engages the same receptor and triggers the same downstream signaling. The result is increased growth hormone secretion from pituitary cells, which in turn influences hepatic production of insulin-like growth factor 1. This axis is the basis for the compound's measured biological effects.
Tesamorelin is a synthetic peptide of 44 amino acids that reproduces the sequence of human growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) and carries a trans-3-hexenoyl group on its N-terminal tyrosine. That small fatty-acid modification blocks cleavage by dipeptidyl peptidase-4, the enzyme that rapidly degrades native GHRH in plasma. The result is a molecule with a longer circulating half-life than the natural hormone while retaining the same receptor target. It is supplied as a lyophilized powder for reconstitution and belongs to the broader class of GHRH analogs studied for effects on pituitary growth hormone secretion.
Development work on the compound, originally designated TH9507, focused on conditions in which reduced growth hormone signaling is thought to contribute to altered body composition. The United States Food and Drug Administration approved it in 2010 for the treatment of excess visceral abdominal fat in adults with human immunodeficiency virus infection and lipodystrophy. Later research examined other populations, including adults with mild cognitive impairment, where a large trial did not meet its primary endpoints. This mixed record illustrates how a single mechanism can produce clear effects in one setting and inconclusive results in another.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Molecular formula | C221H366N72O67S | Reflects a 44-residue peptide with one N-terminal modification |
| Approximate molecular weight | 5136 Da | Sequence length and single acyl group determine the mass |
| Appearance | White to off-white lyophilized powder | Typical form of a purified synthetic peptide |
| Solubility class | Soluble in water and aqueous buffer | Peptide backbone favors aqueous dissolution |
| Common synonyms | GHRH(1-44) analogue; Egrifta | Descriptive name and approved brand name |
Tesamorelin is a synthetic peptide built from 44 amino acids and classified with the growth hormone–releasing hormone family. Its sequence corresponds to the human GHRH(1-44) backbone, carrying one structural change at the amino terminus. That change is a trans-3-hexenoyl group placed where the natural peptide would have an unmodified end. The modification is the feature that separates the compound from the endogenous hormone in name, in stability, and in how it is handled in the laboratory.
The hexenoyl cap slows the enzyme step that trims the amino terminus of native GHRH, the same step that shortens its active lifetime in circulation. As a result, the modified peptide persists longer in plasma than the unmodified hormone in side-by-side comparison. Receptor activity stays broadly comparable, because the added group sits away from the residues that contact the binding site. This combination, preserved receptor activity with reduced degradation, explains why the analog was developed instead of the native sequence.
Tesamorelin is a synthetic analog of growth hormone-releasing hormone, a peptide hormone produced by the hypothalamus. The molecule retains the 44-amino-acid sequence of human GHRH and carries a trans-3-hexenoyl modification at its N-terminus. This modification increases resistance to enzymatic degradation and extends the peptide's functional stability relative to native GHRH. The compound is supplied as a lyophilized powder for reconstitution and subcutaneous administration in clinical settings. Its development code was TH9507, and it belongs to the GHRH analog class. It is not a growth hormone product; instead, it acts upstream to stimulate endogenous growth hormone release.
Clinical interest in tesamorelin arose from the need to address visceral adiposity in people living with HIV. Antiretroviral therapy improved survival but was associated in some patients with central fat accumulation, altered lipid profiles, and metabolic complications. This condition, often called HIV-associated lipodystrophy, involves excess visceral adipose tissue that is difficult to manage through diet and exercise alone. Investigators evaluated tesamorelin because GHRH analogs can stimulate growth hormone secretion and influence fat distribution without direct liposuction or invasive procedures.
elegans Dirofilaria immitis, dog-infecting filarial parasite (2012) Globodera pallida, plant pathogen (2014) Haemonchus contortus, blood-feeding parasite infecting sheep and goats (2013) Heterodera glycines, soybean cyst nematode (2019) Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, (2013) Loa loa, human-infecting filarial parasite (2013) Meloidogyne hapla, northern root-knot nematode (plant pathogen) (2008) Meloidogyne incognita, southern root-knot nematode (plant pathogen) (2008) Necator americanus, human-infecting hookworm (2014) Onchocerca volvulus, human-infecting filarial parasite Pristionchus pacificus, model invertebrate (2008) Romanomermis culicivorax, entomopathogenic nematode that invades larvae of various mosquito species (2013) Trichuris suis, pig-infecting whipworm (2014) Trichuris muris, mouse-infecting whipworm (2014) Trichuris trichiura, human-infecting whipworm (2014) Wuchereria bancrofti, human-infecting filarial parasite
== Standards == Standards for validation and verification of medical laboratories are outlined in the international standard ISO 15189, in addition to national and regional regulations. As per United States federal regulations, the following analytical tests need to be done by a medical laboratory that introduces a new testing device:
Dipeptides are white solids. Many are far more water-soluble than the parent amino acids. For example, the dipeptide Ala-Gln has the solubility of 586 g/L more than 10x the solubility of Gln (35 g/L). Dipeptides also can exhibit different stabilities, e.g. with respect to hydrolysis. Gln does not withstand sterilization procedures, whereas this dipeptide does. Because dipeptides are prone to hydrolysis, the high solubility is exploited in infusions, i.e. to provide nutrition.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
facilitative transporters (allow solutes to flow downhill with their electrochemical gradients) secondary active transporters (allow solutes to flow uphill against their electrochemical gradient by coupling to transport of a second solute that flows downhill with its gradient such that the overall free energy change is still favorable) The SLC series does not include members of transport protein families that have previously been classified by other widely accepted nomenclature systems including:
=== Schools === Le Havre is located in the Academy of Rouen. The city operates 55 kindergartens (254 classes) and 49 communal primary schools (402 classes). The department manages 16 colleges and the region of Normandy manages 9 schools. The Jules Valles college in Caucriauville is classified as a sensitive institution and eleven colleges are in a priority education zone (ZEP). A boarding school of excellence, the Claude Bernard college, opened in 2011. The first college in Le Havre dates to the 16th century, the high school François I was founded during the Second Empire and is the oldest in Le Havre. The philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre (1905–1980) and Raymond Aron (1905–1983) taught there. The writer Armand Salacrou (1899–1989) studied in this institution.
== Discoveries made using egg extracts == Purification of M-phase promoting factor (MPF) Elucidation of the role of synthesis and degradation of cyclin B in cell cycle progression Discovery that degradation of a protein(s) other than cyclin B is necessary for initiating chromosome segregation Discovery of a mechanism of spindle assembly that depends on chromatin, but not centrosomes Proposal of a DNA replication licensing system and identification of its responsible factor Identification of importin α/β responsible for nuclear transport Discovery of the condensin complex essential for mitotic chromosome assembly Identification of the cohesin complex essential for sister chromatid cohesion More recently, the egg extracts have been used to study reprogramming of differentiated nuclei, physical properties of spindles and nuclei, and theoretical understanding of cell cycle control.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
It shares the 44-residue sequence of human GHRH but carries an added trans-3-hexenoyl group at its N-terminus. That addition does not occur in the natural hormone and serves mainly to resist enzymatic breakdown. The receptor target and signaling pathway remain the same.
It binds the growth hormone-releasing hormone receptor on anterior pituitary cells. Activation of that receptor promotes synthesis and release of growth hormone. The effect propagates through the growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor 1 axis.
Native GHRH is cleared quickly by peptidases, which limits how long it can stimulate its receptor. The added group hinders one of the primary cleavage enzymes. The practical consequence is a longer period of receptor activity per dose.
It is a synthetic peptide built from 44 amino acids arranged in the same order as human growth hormone-releasing hormone. A short fatty-acid chain, described as a trans-3-hexenoyl group, is attached to the first amino acid. The finished molecule is formulated as a sterile powder that is dissolved before use.