Hydrogen Sulfide (H<sub>2</sub>S)-Donating Formyl Peptide Receptor 2 (FPR2) Agonists: Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation in Primary Mouse Microglia Culture

Chronic neuroinflammation and oxidative stress play an important role in the onset and progression of neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, which can ultimately lead to neuronal damage and loss. The mechanisms of sustained neuroinflammation and the coordinated chain of events t...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Leonardo Brunetti, Fabio Francavilla, Mauro Niso, Jakub Kosma Frydrych, Ewa Trojan, Igor A. Schepetkin, Liliya N. Kirpotina, Beata Grygier, Krzysztof Łukowicz, Mark T. Quinn, Agnieszka Basta-Kaim, Enza Lacivita, Marcello Leopoldo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Antioxidants
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/14/7/827
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850077038586626048
author Leonardo Brunetti
Fabio Francavilla
Mauro Niso
Jakub Kosma Frydrych
Ewa Trojan
Igor A. Schepetkin
Liliya N. Kirpotina
Beata Grygier
Krzysztof Łukowicz
Mark T. Quinn
Agnieszka Basta-Kaim
Enza Lacivita
Marcello Leopoldo
author_facet Leonardo Brunetti
Fabio Francavilla
Mauro Niso
Jakub Kosma Frydrych
Ewa Trojan
Igor A. Schepetkin
Liliya N. Kirpotina
Beata Grygier
Krzysztof Łukowicz
Mark T. Quinn
Agnieszka Basta-Kaim
Enza Lacivita
Marcello Leopoldo
author_sort Leonardo Brunetti
collection DOAJ
description Chronic neuroinflammation and oxidative stress play an important role in the onset and progression of neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, which can ultimately lead to neuronal damage and loss. The mechanisms of sustained neuroinflammation and the coordinated chain of events that initiate, modulate, and then lead to the resolution of inflammation are increasingly being elucidated, offering alternative approaches for treating pathologies with underlying chronic neuroinflammation. Here, we propose a new multitarget approach to address chronic neuroinflammation and oxidative stress in neurodegenerative disorders by activating the formyl peptide receptor 2 (FPR2) combined with the potentiation of hydrogen sulfide (H<sub>2</sub>S) release. FPR2 is a key player in the resolution of inflammation because it mediates the effects of several endogenous pro-resolving mediators. At the same time, H<sub>2</sub>S is an endogenous gaseous transmitter with anti-inflammatory and pro-resolving properties, and it can protect against oxidative stress. Starting from potent FPR2 agonists identified in our laboratories, we prepared hybrid compounds by embedding an H<sub>2</sub>S-donating moiety within the molecular scaffold of these FPR2 agonists. Following this approach, we identified several compounds that combined potent FPR2 agonism with the ability to release H<sub>2</sub>S. The release of H<sub>2</sub>S was assessed in buffer and intracellularly. Compounds <b>7b</b> and <b>8b</b> combined potent FPR2 agonist activity, selectivity over FPR1, and the ability to release H<sub>2</sub>S. Compounds <b>7b</b> and <b>8b</b> were next studied in murine primary microglial cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a widely accepted in vitro model of neuroinflammation. Both compounds were able to counterbalance LPS-induced cytotoxicity and the release of pro-inflammatory (IL-18, IL-6) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokines induced by LPS stimulation.
format Article
id doaj-art-c02f1ec28e4049f6b13207c518583e63
institution DOAJ
issn 2076-3921
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Antioxidants
spelling doaj-art-c02f1ec28e4049f6b13207c518583e632025-08-20T02:45:53ZengMDPI AGAntioxidants2076-39212025-07-0114782710.3390/antiox14070827Hydrogen Sulfide (H<sub>2</sub>S)-Donating Formyl Peptide Receptor 2 (FPR2) Agonists: Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation in Primary Mouse Microglia CultureLeonardo Brunetti0Fabio Francavilla1Mauro Niso2Jakub Kosma Frydrych3Ewa Trojan4Igor A. Schepetkin5Liliya N. Kirpotina6Beata Grygier7Krzysztof Łukowicz8Mark T. Quinn9Agnieszka Basta-Kaim10Enza Lacivita11Marcello Leopoldo12Dipartimento di Farmacia-Scienze del Farmaco, Università Degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro, via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, ItalyDipartimento di Farmacia-Scienze del Farmaco, Università Degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro, via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, ItalyDipartimento di Farmacia-Scienze del Farmaco, Università Degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro, via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, ItalyLaboratory of Immunoendocrinology, Department of Experimental Neuroendocrinology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 Smętna St., 31-343 Kraków, PolandLaboratory of Immunoendocrinology, Department of Experimental Neuroendocrinology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 Smętna St., 31-343 Kraków, PolandDepartment of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USADepartment of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USALaboratory of Immunoendocrinology, Department of Experimental Neuroendocrinology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 Smętna St., 31-343 Kraków, PolandLaboratory of Immunoendocrinology, Department of Experimental Neuroendocrinology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 Smętna St., 31-343 Kraków, PolandDepartment of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USALaboratory of Immunoendocrinology, Department of Experimental Neuroendocrinology, Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 Smętna St., 31-343 Kraków, PolandDipartimento di Farmacia-Scienze del Farmaco, Università Degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro, via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, ItalyDipartimento di Farmacia-Scienze del Farmaco, Università Degli Studi di Bari Aldo Moro, via Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, ItalyChronic neuroinflammation and oxidative stress play an important role in the onset and progression of neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, which can ultimately lead to neuronal damage and loss. The mechanisms of sustained neuroinflammation and the coordinated chain of events that initiate, modulate, and then lead to the resolution of inflammation are increasingly being elucidated, offering alternative approaches for treating pathologies with underlying chronic neuroinflammation. Here, we propose a new multitarget approach to address chronic neuroinflammation and oxidative stress in neurodegenerative disorders by activating the formyl peptide receptor 2 (FPR2) combined with the potentiation of hydrogen sulfide (H<sub>2</sub>S) release. FPR2 is a key player in the resolution of inflammation because it mediates the effects of several endogenous pro-resolving mediators. At the same time, H<sub>2</sub>S is an endogenous gaseous transmitter with anti-inflammatory and pro-resolving properties, and it can protect against oxidative stress. Starting from potent FPR2 agonists identified in our laboratories, we prepared hybrid compounds by embedding an H<sub>2</sub>S-donating moiety within the molecular scaffold of these FPR2 agonists. Following this approach, we identified several compounds that combined potent FPR2 agonism with the ability to release H<sub>2</sub>S. The release of H<sub>2</sub>S was assessed in buffer and intracellularly. Compounds <b>7b</b> and <b>8b</b> combined potent FPR2 agonist activity, selectivity over FPR1, and the ability to release H<sub>2</sub>S. Compounds <b>7b</b> and <b>8b</b> were next studied in murine primary microglial cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a widely accepted in vitro model of neuroinflammation. Both compounds were able to counterbalance LPS-induced cytotoxicity and the release of pro-inflammatory (IL-18, IL-6) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokines induced by LPS stimulation.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/14/7/827neuroinflammationhybrid compoundsantioxidantneuroprotectionanti-inflammation
spellingShingle Leonardo Brunetti
Fabio Francavilla
Mauro Niso
Jakub Kosma Frydrych
Ewa Trojan
Igor A. Schepetkin
Liliya N. Kirpotina
Beata Grygier
Krzysztof Łukowicz
Mark T. Quinn
Agnieszka Basta-Kaim
Enza Lacivita
Marcello Leopoldo
Hydrogen Sulfide (H<sub>2</sub>S)-Donating Formyl Peptide Receptor 2 (FPR2) Agonists: Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation in Primary Mouse Microglia Culture
Antioxidants
neuroinflammation
hybrid compounds
antioxidant
neuroprotection
anti-inflammation
title Hydrogen Sulfide (H<sub>2</sub>S)-Donating Formyl Peptide Receptor 2 (FPR2) Agonists: Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation in Primary Mouse Microglia Culture
title_full Hydrogen Sulfide (H<sub>2</sub>S)-Donating Formyl Peptide Receptor 2 (FPR2) Agonists: Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation in Primary Mouse Microglia Culture
title_fullStr Hydrogen Sulfide (H<sub>2</sub>S)-Donating Formyl Peptide Receptor 2 (FPR2) Agonists: Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation in Primary Mouse Microglia Culture
title_full_unstemmed Hydrogen Sulfide (H<sub>2</sub>S)-Donating Formyl Peptide Receptor 2 (FPR2) Agonists: Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation in Primary Mouse Microglia Culture
title_short Hydrogen Sulfide (H<sub>2</sub>S)-Donating Formyl Peptide Receptor 2 (FPR2) Agonists: Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation in Primary Mouse Microglia Culture
title_sort hydrogen sulfide h sub 2 sub s donating formyl peptide receptor 2 fpr2 agonists design synthesis and biological evaluation in primary mouse microglia culture
topic neuroinflammation
hybrid compounds
antioxidant
neuroprotection
anti-inflammation
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/14/7/827
work_keys_str_mv AT leonardobrunetti hydrogensulfidehsub2subsdonatingformylpeptidereceptor2fpr2agonistsdesignsynthesisandbiologicalevaluationinprimarymousemicrogliaculture
AT fabiofrancavilla hydrogensulfidehsub2subsdonatingformylpeptidereceptor2fpr2agonistsdesignsynthesisandbiologicalevaluationinprimarymousemicrogliaculture
AT mauroniso hydrogensulfidehsub2subsdonatingformylpeptidereceptor2fpr2agonistsdesignsynthesisandbiologicalevaluationinprimarymousemicrogliaculture
AT jakubkosmafrydrych hydrogensulfidehsub2subsdonatingformylpeptidereceptor2fpr2agonistsdesignsynthesisandbiologicalevaluationinprimarymousemicrogliaculture
AT ewatrojan hydrogensulfidehsub2subsdonatingformylpeptidereceptor2fpr2agonistsdesignsynthesisandbiologicalevaluationinprimarymousemicrogliaculture
AT igoraschepetkin hydrogensulfidehsub2subsdonatingformylpeptidereceptor2fpr2agonistsdesignsynthesisandbiologicalevaluationinprimarymousemicrogliaculture
AT liliyankirpotina hydrogensulfidehsub2subsdonatingformylpeptidereceptor2fpr2agonistsdesignsynthesisandbiologicalevaluationinprimarymousemicrogliaculture
AT beatagrygier hydrogensulfidehsub2subsdonatingformylpeptidereceptor2fpr2agonistsdesignsynthesisandbiologicalevaluationinprimarymousemicrogliaculture
AT krzysztofłukowicz hydrogensulfidehsub2subsdonatingformylpeptidereceptor2fpr2agonistsdesignsynthesisandbiologicalevaluationinprimarymousemicrogliaculture
AT marktquinn hydrogensulfidehsub2subsdonatingformylpeptidereceptor2fpr2agonistsdesignsynthesisandbiologicalevaluationinprimarymousemicrogliaculture
AT agnieszkabastakaim hydrogensulfidehsub2subsdonatingformylpeptidereceptor2fpr2agonistsdesignsynthesisandbiologicalevaluationinprimarymousemicrogliaculture
AT enzalacivita hydrogensulfidehsub2subsdonatingformylpeptidereceptor2fpr2agonistsdesignsynthesisandbiologicalevaluationinprimarymousemicrogliaculture
AT marcelloleopoldo hydrogensulfidehsub2subsdonatingformylpeptidereceptor2fpr2agonistsdesignsynthesisandbiologicalevaluationinprimarymousemicrogliaculture