Lysophosphatidic acid, LPA: a bad boy becomes good

LPA-induced expression of CCN2 in muscular fibro/adipogenic progenitors (FAPs): Unraveling cellular communication networks

Cellular Communication Network Factor 2, CCN2, is a profibrotic cytokine implicated in physiological and pathological processes in mammals. The expression of CCN2 is markedly increased in dystrophic muscles. Interestingly, diminishing CCN2 genetically or inhibiting its function improves the phenotypes of chronic muscular fibrosis in rodent models. Elucidating the cell-specific mechanisms behind the induction of CCN2 is a fundamental step in understanding its relevance in muscular dystrophies. Here, we show that the small lipids LPA and 2S-OMPT induce CCN2 expression in fibro/adipogenic progenitors (FAPs) through the activation of the LPA1 receptor and, to a lower extent, by also the LPA6 receptor. These cells show a stronger induction than myoblasts or myotubes. We show that the LPA/LPARs axis requires ROCK kinase activity and organized actin cytoskeleton upstream of YAP/TAZ signaling effectors to upregulate CCN2 levels, suggesting that mechanical signals are part of the mechanism behind this process. In conclusion, we explored the role of the LPA/LPAR axis on CCN2 expression, showing a strong cytoskeletal-dependent response in muscular FAPs.

KAI1/CD82 gene and autotaxin-lysophosphatidic acid axis in gastrointestinal cancers

The KAI1/CD82 gene inhibits the metastasis of most tumors and is remarkably correlated with tumor invasion and prognosis. Cell metabolism dysregulation is an important cause of tumor occurrence, development, and metastasis. As one of the important characteristics of tumors, cell metabolism dysregulation is attracting increasing research attention. Phospholipids are an indispensable substance in the metabolism in various tumor cells. Phospholipid metabolites have become important cell signaling molecules. The pathological role of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) in tumors was identified in the early 1990s. Currently, LPA inhibitors have entered clinical trials but are not yet used in clinical treatment. Autotaxin (ATX) has lysophospholipase D (lysoPLD) activity and can regulate LPA levels in vivo. The LPA receptor family and ATX/lysoPLD are abnormally expressed in various gastrointestinal tumors. According to our recent pre-experimental results, KAI1/CD82 might inhibit the migration and metastasis of cancer cells by regulating the ATX-LPA axis. However, no relevant research has been reported. Clarifying the mechanism of ATX-LPA in the inhibition of cancer metastasis by KAI1/CD82 will provide an important theoretical basis for targeted cancer therapy. In this paper, the molecular compositions of the KAI1/CD82 gene and the ATX-LPA axis, their physiological functions in tumors, and their roles in gastrointestinal cancers and target therapy are reviewed.

Therapeutic potential of autotaxin/lysophospholipase d inhibitors

Lysophosphatidic acids (LPAs) are structurally simple lipid phosphate esters with a widely appreciated role as extracellular signaling molecules. LPA binds to selective cell surface receptors to promote cell growth, survival, motility and differentiation. Studies using LPA receptor knockout mice and experimental therapeutics targeting these receptors identify roles for LPA signaling in processes that include cardiovascular disease and function, angiogenesis, reproduction, cancer progression and neuropathic pain. These studies identify considerable functional redundancy between these receptors and raise the possibility that additional lysophosphatidic acid receptors remain to be identified. LPA is present in the blood and other biological fluids at physiologically relevant concentrations and can likely be rapidly generated and degraded in different locations, for example at sites of inflammation, vascular injury and thrombosis or in the tumor micro environment. Recent work identifies a secreted enzyme, autotaxin (ATX), as the key component of an extracellular pathway for generation of lysophosphatidic acid by lysophospholipase D catalyzed hydrolysis of lysophospholipid substrates. In contrast to the apparently redundant functions of LPA receptors, studies using ATX knock out and transgenic mice indicate that this enzyme is uniquely required for LPA signaling during early development and serves as the primary determinant of circulating LPA levels in adult animals. Accordingly, pharmacological inhibition of ATX may be a viable and potentially effective way to interfere with LPA signaling in the cardiovascular system and possibly other settings such as tumor metastasis for therapeutic benefit. In this review we provide an update on recent advances in defining roles for LPA signaling in major disease processes and discuss recent progress in understanding the regulation and function of autotaxin focusing on strategies for the identification and initial evaluation of small molecule autotaxin inhibitors.

Genetic ablation of calcium-independent phospholipase A2gamma leads to alterations in mitochondrial lipid metabolism and function resulting in a deficient mitochondrial bioenergetic phenotype

Previously, we identified a novel calcium-independent phospholipase, designated calcium-independent phospholipase A(2) gamma (iPLA(2)gamma), which possesses dual mitochondrial and peroxisomal subcellular localization signals. To identify the roles of iPLA(2)gamma in cellular bioenergetics, we generated mice null for the iPLA(2)gamma gene by eliminating the active site of the enzyme through homologous recombination. Mice null for iPLA(2)gamma display multiple bioenergetic dysfunctional phenotypes, including 1) growth retardation, 2) cold intolerance, 3) reduced exercise endurance, 4) greatly increased mortality from cardiac stress after transverse aortic constriction, 5) abnormal mitochondrial function with a 65% decrease in ascorbate-induced Complex IV-mediated oxygen consumption, and 6) a reduction in myocardial cardiolipin content accompanied by an altered cardiolipin molecular species composition. We conclude that iPLA(2)gamma is essential for maintaining efficient bioenergetic mitochondrial function through tailoring mitochondrial membrane lipid metabolism and composition.