Screening of Cationic Short Peptide RKIIIRW and Its Antimelanoma Nano Delivery System

Melanoma is one of the most lethal cancers in the clinic; cationic peptides have shown great potential in the treatment of melanoma. The large pore volume and high specific surface area of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) allow for efficient loading of drugs, while surface-functionalized MSNs can further improve drug stability and carrier targeting. Polydopamine (PDA) coating is an effective surface modification method that provides an additional protective layer to prevent premature drug release during delivery and can prolong the treatment time. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is a commonly used tumor-targeting molecule that binds to HA receptors on the surface of tumor cells, thereby facilitating drug internalization and enhancing the therapeutic effect of the drug. In this paper, the cationic short peptide RKIIIRW, which can effectively inhibit B16F10 cells, was successfully screened by solid-phase synthesis combined with MTT assay and cell membrane chromatography. By combining the cationic short peptide RKIIIRW with MSNs and further surface modification with PDA coating and HA targeting molecules, a nanodrug delivery system with targeted and controllable release characteristics was prepared. This drug-delivery system enhances the efficacy of cationic short peptides while minimizing side effects, offering a more effective therapeutic strategy for melanoma.