Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) play important roles in human physiology. GPCRs are involved in immunoregulation including regulation of the inflammatory response. Chemotaxis of phagocytes and lymphocytes is mediated to a great extent by the GPCRs for chemoattractants including myriads of chemokines. Accumulation and activation of phagocytes at the site of inflammation contribute to local inflammatory response. A handful of GPCRs have been found to transduce anti-inflammatory signals that promote resolution of inflammation. These GPCRs interact with selected metabolites of arachdonic acid, such as lipoxins, and of omega-3 essential fatty acids, such as resolvins and protectins. Despite mounting evidence for the in vivo functions of these anti-inflammatory and pro-resolving ligands paired with their respective GPCRs, the underlying signaling mechanisms have not been fully delineated. The present review summarizes what we have learned about these GPCRs, their structures and signaling pathways and the prospect of targeting these receptors for novel anti-inflammatory therapies.
Similar content being viewed by others
Log in or create a free account to read this content
Gain free access to this article, as well as selected content from this journal and more on nature.com
or
References
Blake DR, Allen R. Inflammation: basic principles and clinical correlates. Ann Rheum Dis. 1988;47:792.
Serhan CN, Levy BD. Resolvins in inflammation: emergence of the pro-resolving superfamily of mediators. J Clin Invest. 2018;128:2657–69.
Bacchi S, Palumbo P, Sponta A, Coppolino MF. Clinical pharmacology of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: a review. Antiinflamm Antiallergy Agents Med Chem. 2012;11:52–64.
Perez DM. From plants to man: the GPCR “tree of life”. Mol Pharmacol. 2005;67:1383–4.
Ley K, Hoffman HM, Kubes P, Cassatella MA, Zychlinsky A, Hedrick CC, et al. Neutrophils: new insights and open questions. Sci Immunol. 2018;3:eaat4579.
Ye RD, Boulay F, Wang JM, Dahlgren C, Gerard C, Parmentier M, et al. International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology. LXXIII. Nomenclature for the formyl peptide receptor (FPR) family. Pharmacol Rev. 2009;61:119–61.
Ricciotti E, FitzGerald GA. Prostaglandins and inflammation. Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2011;31:986–1000.
Ollivier V, Parry GC, Cobb RR, de Prost D, Mackman N. Elevated cyclic AMP inhibits NF-kappaB-mediated transcription in human monocytic cells and endothelial cells. J Biol Chem. 1996;271:20828–35.
Fan J, Ye RD, Malik AB. Transcriptional mechanisms of acute lung injury. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2001;281:L1037–50.
Grabiner BC, Blonska M, Lin PC, You Y, Wang D, Sun J, et al. CARMA3 deficiency abrogates G protein-coupled receptor-induced NF-{kappa}B activation. Genes Dev. 2007;21:984–96.
Ye RD. Regulation of nuclear factor kappaB activation by G-protein-coupled receptors. J Leukoc Biol. 2001;70:839–48.
Serhan CN. Pro-resolving lipid mediators are leads for resolution physiology. Nature. 2014;510:92–101.
Dalli J, Zhu M, Vlasenko NA, Deng B, Haeggstrom JZ, Petasis NA, et al. The novel 13S,14S-epoxy-maresin is converted by human macrophages to maresin 1 (MaR1), inhibits leukotriene A4 hydrolase (LTA4H), and shifts macrophage phenotype. FASEB J. 2013;27:2573–83.
Moore KW, de Waal Malefyt R, Coffman RL, O’Garra A. Interleukin-10 and the interleukin-10 receptor. Annu Rev Immunol. 2001;19:683–765.
Fiore S, Maddox JF, Perez HD, Serhan CN. Identification of a human cDNA encoding a functional high affinity lipoxin A4 receptor. J Exp Med. 1994;180:253–60.
Chiang N, Fierro IM, Gronert K, Serhan CN. Activation of lipoxin A(4) receptors by aspirin-triggered lipoxins and select peptides evokes ligand-specific responses in inflammation. J Exp Med. 2000;191:1197–208.
Chiang N, Serhan CN. Structural elucidation and physiologic functions of specialized pro-resolving mediators and their receptors. Mol Asp Med. 2017;58:114–29.
Chiang N, Dalli J, Colas RA, Serhan CN. Identification of resolvin D2 receptor mediating resolution of infections and organ protection. J Exp Med. 2015;212:1203–17.
Bang S, Xie YK, Zhang ZJ, Wang Z, Xu ZZ, Ji RR. GPR37 regulates macrophage phagocytosis and resolution of inflammatory pain. J Clin Invest. 2018;128:3568–82.
Chiang N, Libreros S, Norris PC, de la Rosa X, Serhan CN. Maresin 1 activates LGR6 receptor promoting phagocyte immunoresolvent functions. J Clin Invest. 2019;129:5294–311.
Serhan CN, Hamberg M, Samuelsson B. Lipoxins: novel series of biologically active compounds formed from arachidonic acid in human leukocytes. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 1984;81:5335–9.
Colgan SP, Serhan CN, Parkos CA, Delp-Archer C, Madara JL. Lipoxin A4 modulates transmigration of human neutrophils across intestinal epithelial monolayers. J Clin Invest. 1993;92:75–82.
Claria J, Serhan CN. Aspirin triggers previously undescribed bioactive eicosanoids by human endothelial cell–leukocyte interactions. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 1995;92:9475–9.
@Serhan CN. Lipoxins and novel aspirin-triggered 15-epi-lipoxins (ATL): a jungle of cell–cell interactions or a therapeutic opportunity? Prostaglandins. 1997;53:107–37.
Fiore S, Ryeom SW, Weller PF, Serhan CN. Lipoxin recognition sites. Specific binding of labeled lipoxin A4 with human neutrophils. J Biol Chem. 1992;267:16168–76.
Maddox JF, Hachicha M, Takano T, Petasis NA, Fokin VV, Serhan CN. Lipoxin A4 stable analogs are potent mimetics that stimulate human monocytes and THP-1 cells via a G-protein-linked lipoxin A4 receptor. J Biol Chem. 1997;272:6972–8.
Maderna P, Cottell DC, Toivonen T, Dufton N, Dalli J, Perretti M, et al. FPR2/ALX receptor expression and internalization are critical for lipoxin A4 and annexin-derived peptide-stimulated phagocytosis. FASEB J. 2010;24:4240–9.
Forsman H, Dahlgren C. Lipoxin A(4) metabolites/analogues from two commercial sources have no effects on TNF-alpha-mediated priming or activation through the neutrophil formyl peptide receptors. Scand J Immunol. 2009;70:396–402.
Forsman H, Onnheim K, Andreasson E, Dahlgren C. What formyl peptide receptors, if any, are triggered by compound 43 and lipoxin A4? Scand J Immunol. 2011;74:227–34.
Hanson J, Ferreiros N, Pirotte B, Geisslinger G, Offermanns S. Heterologously expressed formyl peptide receptor 2 (FPR2/ALX) does not respond to lipoxin A(4). Biochem Pharm. 2013;85:1795–802.
Cooray SN, Gobbetti T, Montero-Melendez T, McArthur S, Thompson D, Clark AJ, et al. Ligand-specific conformational change of the G-protein-coupled receptor ALX/FPR2 determines proresolving functional responses. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2013;110:18232–7.
Su SB, Gong W, Gao JL, Shen W, Murphy PM, Oppenheim JJ, et al. A seven-transmembrane, G protein-coupled receptor, FPRL1, mediates the chemotactic activity of serum amyloid A for human phagocytic cells. J Exp Med. 1999;189:395–402.
He R, Sang H, Ye RD. Serum amyloid A induces IL-8 secretion through a G protein-coupled receptor, FPRL1/LXA4R. Blood. 2003;101:1572–81.
Ge Y, Zhang S, Wang J, Xia F, Wan JB, Lu J, et al. Dual modulation of formyl peptide receptor 2 by aspirin-triggered lipoxin contributes to its anti-inflammatory activity. FASEBJ. 2020;34:6920–33.
Hilger D, Masureel M, Kobilka BK. Structure and dynamics of GPCR signaling complexes. Nat Struct Mol Biol. 2018;25:4–12.
Mills JS, Miettinen HM, Cummings D, Jesaitis AJ. Characterization of the binding site on the formyl peptide receptor using three receptor mutants and analogs of Met-Leu-Phe and Met-Met-Trp-Leu-Leu. J Biol Chem. 2000;275:39012–7.
Quehenberger O, Prossnitz ER, Cavanagh SL, Cochrane CG, Ye RD. Multiple domains of the N-formyl peptide receptor are required for high-affinity ligand binding. Construction and analysis of chimeric N-formyl peptide receptors. J Biol Chem. 1993;268:18167–75.
Quehenberger O, Pan ZK, Prossnitz ER, Cavanagh SL, Cochrane CG, Ye RD. Identification of an N-formyl peptide receptor ligand binding domain by a gain-of-function approach. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1997;238:377–81.
Mills JS, Miettinen HM, Barnidge D, Vlases MJ, Wimer-Mackin S, Dratz EA, et al. Identification of a ligand binding site in the human neutrophil formyl peptide receptor using a site-specific fluorescent photoaffinity label and mass spectrometry. J Biol Chem. 1998;273:10428–35.
He HQ, Troksa EL, Caltabiano G, Pardo L, Ye RD. Structural determinants for the interaction of formyl peptide receptor 2 with peptide ligands. J Biol Chem. 2014;289:2295–306.
Zhuang Y, Liu H, Edward Zhou X, Kumar Verma R, de Waal PW, Jang W, et al. Structure of formylpeptide receptor 2-Gi complex reveals insights into ligand recognition and signaling. Nat Commun. 2020;11:885.
Chen T, Xiong M, Zong X, Ge Y, Zhang H, Wang M, et al. Structural basis of ligand binding modes at the human formyl peptide receptor 2. Nat Commun. 2020;11:1208.
He M, Cheng N, Gao WW, Zhang M, Zhang YY, Ye RD, et al. Characterization of Quin-C1 for its anti-inflammatory property in a mouse model of bleomycin-induced lung injury. Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2011;32:601–10.
Nanamori M, Cheng X, Mei J, Sang H, Xuan Y, Zhou C, et al. A novel nonpeptide ligand for formyl peptide receptor-like 1. Mol Pharmacol. 2004;66:1213–22.
Kao W, Gu R, Jia Y, Wei X, Fan H, Harris J, et al. A formyl peptide receptor agonist suppresses inflammation and bone damage in arthritis. Br J Pharmacol. 2014;171:4087–96.
Burli RW, Xu H, Zou X, Muller K, Golden J, Frohn M, et al. Potent hFPRL1 (ALXR) agonists as potential anti-inflammatory agents. Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2006;16:3713–8.
Qin CX, May LT, Li R, Cao N, Rosli S, Deo M, et al. Small-molecule-biased formyl peptide receptor agonist compound 17b protects against myocardial ischaemia-reperfusion injury in mice. Nat Commun. 2017;8:14232.
Krishnamoorthy S, Recchiuti A, Chiang N, Yacoubian S, Lee CH, Yang R, et al. Resolvin D1 binds human phagocytes with evidence for proresolving receptors. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2010;107:1660–5.
Arnardottir HH, Dalli J, Norling LV, Colas RA, Perretti M, Serhan CN. Resolvin D3 is dysregulated in arthritis and reduces arthritic inflammation. J Immunol. 2016;197:2362–8.
Chiang N, Fredman G, Backhed F, Oh SF, Vickery T, Schmidt BA, et al. Infection regulates pro-resolving mediators that lower antibiotic requirements. Nature. 2012;484:524–8.
Dalli J, Winkler JW, Colas RA, Arnardottir H, Cheng CY, Chiang N, et al. Resolvin D3 and aspirin-triggered resolvin D3 are potent immunoresolvents. Chem Biol. 2013;20:188–201.
Arita M, Bianchini F, Aliberti J, Sher A, Chiang N, Hong S, et al. Stereochemical assignment, antiinflammatory properties, and receptor for the omega-3 lipid mediator resolvin E1. J Exp Med. 2005;201:713–22.
Arita M, Ohira T, Sun YP, Elangovan S, Chiang N, Serhan CN. Resolvin E1 selectively interacts with leukotriene B4 receptor BLT1 and ChemR23 to regulate inflammation. J Immunol. 2007;178:3912–7.
Oh SF, Pillai PS, Recchiuti A, Yang R, Serhan CN. Pro-resolving actions and stereoselective biosynthesis of 18S E-series resolvins in human leukocytes and murine inflammation. J Clin Invest. 2011;121:569–81.
Laskowski RA, Swindells MB. LigPlot+: multiple ligand–protein interaction diagrams for drug discovery. J Chem Inf Model. 2011;51:2778–86.
Acknowledgements
This work was supported in part by grants from the Fundo para o Desenvolvimento das Ciências e da Tecnologia (FDCT 072/2015/A2) and from the University of Macau (MYRG2016-00246-ICMS-QRCM). YJG and RDY were supported by the President Fund of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen. QWL was supported by the Ganghong Young Scholar Development Fund.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Competing interests
The authors declare no competing interests.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ge, Yj., Liao, Qw., Xu, Yc. et al. Anti-inflammatory signaling through G protein-coupled receptors. Acta Pharmacol Sin 41, 1531–1538 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41401-020-00523-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Version of record:
Issue date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41401-020-00523-1
This article is cited by
-
A review of gut failure as a cause and consequence of critical illness
Critical Care (2025)
-
Oral FPR2/ALX modulators tune myeloid cell activity to ameliorate mucosal inflammation in inflammatory bowel disease
Acta Pharmacologica Sinica (2025)
-
Unlocking therapeutic potential in traumatic brain injury: exploring microenvironmental targets, signaling pathways and translational hurdles
Inflammopharmacology (2025)
-
Specialized pro-resolution mediators in the bladder: effects of resolvin E1 on diabetic bladder dysfunction in the type 1 diabetic male Akita mouse model
BMC Urology (2024)
-
Disease clusters subsequent to anxiety and stress-related disorders and their genetic determinants
Nature Communications (2024)


