The formyl peptide receptor agonist Ac2-26 alleviates neuroinflammation in a mouse model of pneumococcal meningitis.

BACKGROUND: Bacterial meningitis is still a cause of severe neurological disability. The brain is protected from penetrating pathogens by the blood-brain barrier and the innate immune system. The invading pathogens are recognized by pattern recognition receptors including the G-protein-coupled formyl peptide receptors (FPRs), which are expressed by immune cells of the central nervous system. FPRs show a broad spectrum of ligands, including pro- and anti-inflammatory ones. Here, we investigated the effects of the annexin A1 mimetic peptide Ac2-26 in a mouse model of pneumococcal meningitis. METHODS: Wildtype (WT) and Fpr1- and Fpr2-deficient mice were intrathecally infected with Streptococcus pneumoniae D39 (type 2). Subsequently, the different mice groups were treated by intraperitoneal injections of Ac2-26 (1 mg/kg body weight) 2, 8, and 24 h post-infection. The extent of inflammation was analyzed in various brain regions by means of immunohistochemistry and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) 30 h post-infection. RESULTS: Ac2-26-treated WT mice showed less severe neutrophil infiltration, paralleled by a reduced induction of pro-inflammatory glial cell responses in the hippocampal formation and cortex. While meningitis was ameliorated in Ac2-26-treated Fpr1-deficient mice, this protective effect was not observed in Fpr2-deficient mice. Irrespective of Ac2-26 treatment, inflammation was more severe in Fpr2-deficient compared to Fpr1-deficient mice. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, this study demonstrates anti-inflammatory properties of Ac2-26 in a model of bacterial meningitis, which are mediated via FPR2, but not FPR1. Ac2-26 and other FPR2 modulators might be promising targets for the development of novel therapies for Streptococcus pneumoniae-induced meningitis.

Inhibition of formyl peptide receptors improves the outcome in a mouse model of Alzheimer disease.

BACKGROUND: An important hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the increase of Aß1-42 burden and its accumulation to senile plaques, leading the reactive gliosis and neurodegeneration. The modulation of glia cell function represents an attractive therapeutic strategy, but is currently limited by an incomplete understanding of its relevance for AD. The chemotactic G-protein coupled formyl peptide receptor (FPR), which is known to modulate Aß1-42 uptake and signal transduction, might be one candidate molecule regulating glia function in AD. Here, we investigate whether the modulation of FPR exerts beneficial effects in an AD preclinical model. METHODS: To address this question, APP/PS1 double-transgenic AD mice were treated for 20 weeks with either the pro-inflammatory FPR agonist fMLF, the FPR1/2 antagonist Boc2 or the anti-inflammatory FPR2 agonist Ac2-26. Spatial learning and memory were evaluated using a Morris water maze test. Immunohistological staining, gene expression studies, and flow cytometry analyses were performed to study neuronal loss, gliosis, and Aß-load in the hippocampus and cortex, respectively. RESULTS: FPR antagonism by Boc2-treatment significantly improved spatial memory performance, reduced neuronal pathology, induced the expression of homeostatic growth factors, and ameliorated microglia, but not astrocyte, reactivity. Furthermore, the elevated levels of amyloid plaques in the hippocampus were reduced by Boc2-treatment, presumably by an induction of amyloid degradation. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that the modulation of FPR signaling cascades might be considered as a promising therapeutic approach for alleviating the cognitive deficits associated with early AD. Additional studies are now needed to address the downstream effectors as well as the safety profile of Boc2.