GHK and DNA: Resetting the Human Genome to Health

This comprehensive study by Pickart and colleagues used computational analysis of data from the Broad Institute Connectivity Map to investigate the effects of the tripeptide GHK (glycyl-histidyl-lysine) on human gene expression. The analysis revealed that GHK is capable of modulating the expression of a large number of human genes, promoting expression patterns associated with health and tissue repair.

Researchers demonstrated that GHK positively influences genes involved in multiple repair processes, including:

• Regeneration of skin, hair follicles, gastric and intestinal mucosa, and bone tissue
• Suppression of genes associated with metastasis and tumor progression
• Activation of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant genes
• Modulation of genes involved in extracellular matrix remodeling, including collagen and proteoglycans

A particularly interesting aspect is that plasma GHK levels decline significantly with age — from approximately 200 ng/mL at age 20 to 80 ng/mL at age 60 — which coincides with the progressive deterioration of regenerative capacity observed in aging.

The authors proposed that GHK supplementation could essentially "reset" gene expression patterns altered by aging and disease to healthier states, representing an innovative approach to regenerative medicine based on genomic regulation by natural peptides.