A series of quinazolinone derivatives were synthesized based on a hit compound identified from a high-throughput screening campaign targeting the human formyl peptide receptor-like 1 (FPRL1). Based on structure-activity relationship analysis, we found that substitution on the para position of the 2-phenyl group of the quinazolinone backbone could alter the pharmacological properties of the compound. The methoxyl substitution produced an agonist 4-butoxy-N-[2-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-4-oxo-1,4-dihydro-2H-quinazolin-3-yl]-benzamide (Quin-C1; C1), whereas a hydroxyl substitution resulted in a pure antagonist, Quin-C7 (C7). Several partial agonists were derived from other substitutions on the para position. C7 partially displaced3 H]N-formyl-Met-Leu-Phe to formyl peptide receptor. In functional assays using FPRL1-expressing RBL-2H3 cells, C7 inhibited calcium mobilization and chemotaxis induced by WKYMVm and C1 and degranulation elicited by C1. C7 also suppressed C1-induced extracellular signal-regulated kinase phosphorylation and reduced arachidonic acid-induced ear edema in mice. This study represents the first characterization of a nonpeptidic antagonist for FPRL1 and suggests the prospect of using low molecular weight compounds as modulators of chemoattractant receptors in vitro and in vivo.The human formyl peptide receptor (FPR) family of chemoattractant receptors consists of FPR, formyl peptide receptor-like 1 (FPRL1), and FPRL2. These receptors are expressed primarily in neutrophils and monocytes and exert important functions in inflammation and immunity (Le et al., 2002). The FPRL1 gene was initially cloned in 1992 for its homology with FPR cDNA (Bao et al., 1992;Murphy et al., 1992;Ye et al., 1992). The prototype of chemotactic peptide N-formyl-Met-Leu-Phe (fMLF), an agonist for FPR, can also activate FPRL1 with a reduced affinity (Quehenberger et al., 1993). Stimulation of FPRL1 elicits a cascade of host defense reactions against pathogens, including chemotaxis, superoxide generation, and exocytosis in human neutrophils. In addition, it was reported that FPRL1 attenuates HIV-1 infection by desensitizing and down-regulating the chemokine receptors CCR5 and CXCR4, which serve as major coreceptors for HIV-1, on monocyte surfaces (Li et al., 2001). A recent study showed that the expression of FPRL1 in mouse C26 cells markedly reduced tumorigenicity in syngeneic mice and resulted in high levels of humoral immune response to both FPRL1-containing and wild-type C26 cells . The data indicate that FPRL1 also plays a key role in specific antitumor response. The expression of FPRL1 in activated microglial cells and its function as a receptor for A(1-42), a 42-amino acid form of the -amyloid peptide, suggest that FPRL1 is closely related to neurodegenerative disorders . Investigation in ligand binding, signal transduction, and functional properties of FPRL1 is expected to facilThis project was supported in part by grants from the Ministry