Discovery of 1,3-disubstituted prop-2-en-1-one derivatives as inhibitors of neutrophilic inflammation via modulation of MAPK and Akt pathways

Targeting neutrophil function has gained attention as a propitious therapeutic strategy for diverse inflammatory diseases. Accordingly, a series of enone-based derivatives were developed to inhibit neutrophil-mediated inflammation, showing promise for treating inflammatory diseases. These compounds fall into two clusters with distinct effects: one inhibits neutrophilic superoxide (SO) anion production and elastase release triggered by N-formyl-Met-Leu-Phe (fMLF), with compound 6a being most effective (IC50 values of 1.23 and 1.37 μM, respectively), affecting c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and Akt phosphorylation. The second cluster suppresses formation of SO anion without affecting elastase levels, surpassed by compound 26a (IC50 of 1.56 μM), which attenuates various mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) with minimal Akt impact. Notably, none of the tested compounds showed cytotoxicity in human neutrophils, underscoring their potential as therapeutic agents against inflammatory diseases.