Structure of the Complex of Human Programmed Death 1, PD-1, and Its Ligand PD-L1

Targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 immunologic checkpoint with monoclonal antibodies has recently provided breakthrough progress in the treatment of melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer, and other types of cancer. Small-molecule drugs interfering with this pathway are highly awaited, but their development is hindered by insufficient structural information. This study reveals the molecular details of the human PD-1/PD-L1 interaction based on an X-ray structure of the complex. First, it is shown that the ligand binding to human PD-1 is associated with significant plasticity within the receptor. Second, a detailed molecular map of the interaction surface is provided, allowing definition of the regions within both interacting partners that may likely be targeted by small molecules.