“AOD” is not a complete chemical name. In peptide research it usually refers to AOD-9604, a 16-residue analogue of the C-terminal region of human growth hormone (hGH), but the identity must be confirmed from the sequence and intact mass before an experiment is designed.
What Are the Key AOD Research Specifications?
| Specification | Research record |
|---|---|
| Compound | AOD |
| Category | misc |
| Listed purity | >99% |
| Molecular weight | 1815.1 g/mol for AOD-9604 |
| Intended use | Laboratory research only |
What Is the Chemical Identity of AOD?
AOD-9604 is Tyr-hGH(177–191), with sequence YLRIVQCRSVEGSCGF and an intramolecular disulfide bond between its two cysteines. PubChem reports formula C78H123N23O23S2 and an average molecular mass of 1815.1 g/mol for this defined peptide. It should not be silently equated with unmodified hGH(177–191) or with every product described as “HGH fragment 176–191.”
How Does AOD Work in Research Models?
The programme that produced AOD-9604 sought to separate metabolic effects attributed to the hGH C-terminus from canonical growth-promoting GH receptor signalling. Early rodent work with hGH(177–191) reported antilipogenic activity, while finding no significant lipolytic effect in one ex vivo fat-pad assay. Later AOD-9604 studies used metabolic and adipose endpoints, but a definitive molecular target has not been established to the standard expected for a receptor-selective probe.
That uncertainty matters experimentally: changes in glycerol release, lipid accumulation or body composition should not be described as proof of a specific pathway without target-engagement data.
How Should a AOD Study Be Designed?
Confirm whether the material is AOD-9604 or another GH fragment. Use intact-mass MS and, where feasible, peptide mapping and a disulfide-sensitive method. Relevant controls include full-length hGH, the corresponding unmodified C-terminal fragment and vehicle. Pair lipid readouts with viability, GH-receptor signalling and IGF-1-axis measurements so that cytotoxicity or canonical GH activity is not mistaken for a fragment-specific effect.
How Should AOD Be Handled and Verified?
Disulfide status is part of this peptide’s identity. Avoid reducing agents unless reduction is an intentional experimental variable. Reconstitute only in a lot-qualified solvent, use low-binding consumables, prepare single-use aliquots and avoid repeated freeze-thaw cycles. Report counterion, net peptide content and oxidation state; HPLC area purity alone cannot establish any of these.
Which Sources Support AOD Research?
- Wu and Ng, hGH(177–191) and antilipogenic activity, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology International (1993), PMID 8358331.
- PubChem structure record for AOD-9604: CID 71300630.
How Can AOD Results Be Interpreted Without Overclaiming?
Interpret AOD with an evidence ladder: verified material, recovered exposure, proximal pathway response and only then a downstream phenotype. For AOD, chemical identity, target engagement and downstream phenotype are separate layers. A change in migration, viability or gene expression does not by itself prove the proposed molecular target. Each step needs its own control. Sequence or structure controls test specificity; receptor blockade tests pathway dependence; viability and matrix controls test whether the assay itself explains the result.
A reusable AOD methods section reports lot, solvent, counterion or ester, concentration, incubation, model provenance and data-normalization method. Include effect size and uncertainty, not only a p value. When literature findings conflict, compare molecular form, model and timing before averaging conclusions. This keeps the article useful to researchers and citable by review systems without overstating what preclinical evidence can support.
Is AOD for Research Use Only?
AOD is supplied for laboratory research only. It is not for human or veterinary use.
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What Are Common Questions About AOD?
What is AOD?
“AOD” is not a complete chemical name. In peptide research it usually refers to AOD-9604, a 16-residue analogue of the C-terminal region of human growth hormone (hGH), but the identity must be confirmed from the sequence and intact mass before an experiment is designed.
How should researchers verify AOD?
Confirm the exact molecular form on the lot certificate and pair chromatographic purity with an orthogonal identity method such as mass spectrometry or NMR. Use the molecular weight, counterion and content stated for that verified form when calculating molarity.
Is AOD intended for human use?
AOD is listed for controlled laboratory research only. It is not intended for human or veterinary use.