Bioorthogonal Catalytic Microneedles Based on a Cytotoxic PEI Matrix for Synergistic Melanoma Therapy

    April 2026 in “ bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) ”
    Qiang Xü, En-Kui Huang, Ya-Jun Chu, Xiaojun Yao, Pei Nian Liu
    TLDR A new microneedle patch significantly improves melanoma treatment by using a special material to activate cancer-fighting drugs and disrupt cancer cells.
    The study introduces a novel microneedle (MN) patch system, PPPd-MNs, which utilizes palladium nanoparticle-loaded polyvinyl alcohol/polyethyleneimine (PVA/PEI@Pd) hydrogel to enhance melanoma therapy. This system leverages the cytotoxicity of PEI to synergistically improve antitumor efficacy by catalyzing the activation of a doxorubicin prodrug (P-DOX) into active doxorubicin (DOX) and disrupting cancer cell membranes. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments in a murine melanoma model show a tumor inhibition rate of up to 98%, demonstrating the potential of repurposing the carrier material's cytotoxicity as a therapeutic component. This approach offers a new paradigm for designing high-performance bioorthogonal catalytic systems for cancer treatment.
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