Alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone peptide-targeted melanoma imaging

Melanocortin-1 (MC1) receptor is an attractive melanoma-specific target over-expressed on the surface of melanoma cells. Alpha-melanocyte stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) peptide analogues can specifically bind MC1 receptors with nanomolar binding affinities, making alpha-MSH peptide analogues very promising candidates for developing effective melanoma-specific imaging probes. This review highlights the strategies being used to design alpha-MSH peptide radiopharmaceuticals to target MC1 receptors and some recent developments of radiolabeled alpha-MSH peptide analogues for melanoma imaging.