Structural basis for small molecule targeting of the programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1)

• Published in: Oncotarget Vol. 7; no. 21; pp. 30323 - 30335
• Main Authors: Zak, Krzysztof M, Grudnik, Przemyslaw, Guzik, Katarzyna, Zieba, Bartosz J, Musielak, Bogdan, Dömling, Alexander, Dubin, Grzegorz, Holak, Tad A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Impact Journals LLC 24-05-2016
• Subjects: B7-H1 Antigen - antagonists & inhibitors; B7-H1 Antigen - chemistry; B7-H1 Antigen - metabolism; Crystallography, X-Ray; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Models, Molecular; Molecular Structure; Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor - antagonists & inhibitors; Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor - chemistry; Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor - metabolism; Protein Binding - drug effects; Protein Domains; Research Paper; Signal Transduction - drug effects; Small Molecule Libraries - chemistry; Small Molecule Libraries - metabolism; Small Molecule Libraries - pharmacology; small molecule; X-ray structure; immunotherapy; checkpoint inhibitor
• ISSN: 1949-2553; 1949-2553
• DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.8730

Targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 immunologic checkpoint with monoclonal antibodies has provided unprecedented results in cancer treatment in the recent years. Development of chemical inhibitors for this pathway lags the antibody development because of insufficient structural information. The first nonpeptidic chemical inhibitors that target the PD-1/PD-L1 interaction have only been recently disclosed by Bristol-Myers Squibb. Here, we show that these small-molecule compounds bind directly to PD-L1 and that they potently block PD-1 binding. Structural studies reveal a dimeric protein complex with a single small molecule which stabilizes the dimer thus occluding the PD-1 interaction surface of PD-L1s. The small-molecule interaction "hot spots" on PD-L1 surfaces suggest approaches for the PD-1/PD-L1 antagonist drug discovery.