Functional N-Formyl Peptide Receptor 2 (FPR2) Antagonists Based on the Ureidopropanamide Scaffold Have Potential To Protect Against Inflammation-Associated Oxidative Stress.

TLDR: A new series of ureidopropanamide derivatives were designed with the goal of converting functional activity from agonism into antagonism and to develop new FPR2 antagonists, and showed that they decreased the production of reactive oxygen species in mouse microglial N9 cells after stimulation with lipopolysaccharide.

Abstract: Formyl peptide receptor-2 (FPR2) is a G protein-coupled receptor belonging to the N-formyl peptide receptor (FPR) family that plays critical roles in peripheral and brain inflammatory responses. FPR2 has been proposed as a target for the development of drugs that could facilitate the resolution of chronic inflammatory reactions by enhancing endogenous anti-inflammation systems. Starting from the structure of the FPR2 agonists (R)- and (S)-4 and 2, we designed a new series of ureidopropanamide derivatives with the goal of converting functional activity from agonism to antagonism and to develop new FPR2 antagonists. Although none of the compounds behaved as antagonist, some of the compounds were able to induce receptor desensitization, thus functionally behaving as antagonists. Evaluation of these compounds in an in vitro model of neuroinflammation showed that they reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in mouse microglial N9 cells after stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). These FPR2 ligands may protect cells from damage due to inflammation-associated oxidative stress.