A Binding Site on IL-17A for Inhibitory Macrocycles Revealed by Hydrogen/Deuterium Exchange Mass Spectrometry

Computational assessment of the IL-17A structure identified two distinct binding pockets, the β-hairpin pocket and the α-helix pocket. The β-hairpin pocket was hypothesized to be the site of binding for peptide macrocycles. Support for this hypothesis was obtained using HDX-MS which revealed protection to exchange only within the β-hairpin pocket. This data represents the first direct structural evidence of a small molecule binding site on IL-17A that functions to disrupt the interaction with its receptor.