DNA aptamers that inhibit binding to human interleukin-17A and interleukin-20.

Cytokines interleukin-17 (IL-17) and interleukin-20 (IL-20) play important roles in inflammatory processes and autoimmune diseases. Using systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX), we have isolated DNA aptamers for each of these cytokines. For IL-17A, the best aptamers bound with K d values as low as 4 nM, comparable to previously reported aptamers. IL-20 represents a novel target for aptamer identification and SELEX isolated aptamers with K d values as low as 120 nM. Photo-crosslinking experiments confirmed aptamer binding to its cytokine target, most likely to the cytokine monomer. These novel DNA aptamers for IL-17 and IL-20 represent valuable tools for studying cytokine biology and developing potential therapeutics for inflammatory and autoimmune conditions like psoriasis and impaired wound healing.