International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. LXXIII. Nomenclature for the formyl peptide receptor (FPR) family

Formyl peptide receptors (FPRs) are a small group of seven-transmembrane domain, G protein-coupled receptors that are expressed mainly by mammalian phagocytic leukocytes and are known to be important in host defense and inflammation. The three human FPRs (FPR1, FPR2/ALX, and FPR3) share significant sequence homology and are encoded by clustered genes. Collectively, these receptors bind an extraordinarily numerous and structurally diverse group of agonistic ligands, including N-formyl and nonformyl peptides of different composition, that chemoattract and activate phagocytes. N-formyl peptides, which are encoded in nature only by bacterial and mitochondrial genes and result from obligatory initiation of bacterial and mitochondrial protein synthesis with N-formylmethionine, is the only ligand class common to all three human receptors. Surprisingly, the endogenous anti-inflammatory peptide annexin 1 and its N-terminal fragments also bind human FPR1 and FPR2/ALX, and the anti-inflammatory eicosanoid lipoxin A4 is an agonist at FPR2/ALX. In comparison, fewer agonists have been identified for FPR3, the third member in this receptor family. Structural and functional studies of the FPRs have produced important information for understanding the general pharmacological principles governing all leukocyte chemoattractant receptors. This article aims to provide an overview of the discovery and pharmacological characterization of FPRs, to introduce an International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology (IUPHAR)-recommended nomenclature, and to discuss unmet challenges, including the mechanisms used by these receptors to bind diverse ligands and mediate different biological functions.

Formyl peptide receptors: a promiscuous subfamily of G protein-coupled receptors controlling immune responses

The formyl peptide receptor (FPR) family is involved in host defence against pathogens, but also in sensing internal molecules that may constitute signals of cellular dysfunction. It includes three subtypes in human and other primates. FPR responds to formyl peptides derived from bacterial and mitochondrial proteins. FPRL1 displays a large array of exogenous and endogenous ligands, including the chemokine variant sCKbeta8-1, the neuroprotective peptide humanin, and lipoxin A4. Two high affinity agonists (F2L and humanin) were recently described for FPRL2. In mouse, eight FPR-related receptors have been described. Fpr1 is the ortholog of human FPR, while fpr2 appears to share many ligands with human FPRL1. Altogether, the physiological role of the FPR family is still incompletely understood, due in part to the large variety of ligands, the redundancy with other chemoattractant agents, and the lack of clear orthologs between human and mouse receptors. Newly developed tools will allow to study further this family of receptors.

N-Formyl peptide receptor subtypes in human neutrophils activate L-plastin phosphorylation through different signal transduction intermediates

We investigated the coupling of the fMLP (N -formyl-L-methionyl-L-leucyl-L-phenylalanine; 'chemotactic peptide') receptor with phosphorylation of the actin-binding protein L-plastin in neutrophils. Using two-dimensional IEF (isoelectric focusing)/PAGE and MALDI-TOF (matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight)-MS, L-plastin was identified as a major phosphoprotein in fMLP-stimulated neutrophils whose phosphorylation was dependent on phosphoinositide 3-kinase, PLD (phospholipase D) and PKC (protein kinase C) activity. Two fMLP receptor subtypes were identified in neutrophils, characterized by a distinct sensitivity to fMLP and antagonistic peptides. Both receptor subtypes induced the phosphorylation of L-plastin. L-plastin phosphorylation induced by low-affinity fMLP receptors involves an action of phosphoinositide 3-kinase, PLD and PKC isotypes. In contrast, none of these intermediates are utilized by high-affinity fMLP receptors in the phosphorylation of L-plastin. However, the PKC inhibitor Ro-31-8220 inhibits L-plastin phosphorylation induced by the high-affinity fMLP receptor. Thus, an as yet unknown Ro-31-8220-sensitive kinase regulates L-plastin phosphorylation in response to the high-affinity fMLP receptor. The results suggest a model in which receptor subtypes induce a similar endpoint event through different signal-transduction intermediates. This may be relevant in the context of cell migration in which one receptor subpopulation may become desensitized in a concentration gradient of chemoattractant.