Our group has recently demonstrated (Gesta, S., Simon, M., Rey, A., Sibrac, D., Girard, A., Lafontan, M., Valet, P., and Saulnier-Blache, J. S. (2002) J. Lipid Res. 43, 904 -910) the presence, in adipocyte conditioned-medium, of a soluble lysophospholipase D-activity (LPLDact) involved in synthesis of the bioactive phospholipid lysophosphatidic acid (LPA). In the present report, LPLDact was purified from 3T3F442A adipocyte-conditioned medium and identified as the type II ecto-nucleotide pyrophosphatase phosphodiesterase, autotaxin (ATX). A unique ATX cDNA was cloned from 3T3F442A adipocytes, and its recombinant expression in COS-7 cells led to extracellular release of LPLDact. ATX mRNA expression was highly up-regulated during adipocyte differentiation of 3T3F442A-preadipocytes. This up-regulation was paralleled by the ability of newly differentiated adipocytes to release LPLDact and LPA. Differentiation-dependent up-regulation of ATX expression was also observed in a primary culture of mouse preadipocytes. Treatment of 3T3F442A-preadipocytes with concentrated conditioned medium from ATX-expressing COS-7 cells led to an increase in cell number as compared with concentrated conditioned medium from ATX non-expressing COS-7 cells. The specific effect of ATX on preadipocyte proliferation was completely suppressed by co-treatment with a LPA-hydrolyzing phospholipase, phospholipase B. Finally, ATX expression was found in mature adipocytes isolated from mouse adipose tissue and was substantially increased in genetically obesediabetic db/db mice when compared with their lean siblings. In conclusion, the present work shows that ATX is responsible for the LPLDact released by adipocytes and exerts a paracrine control on preadipocyte growth via an LPA-dependent mechanism. Up-regulations of ATX expression with adipocyte differentiation and genetic obesity suggest a possible involvement of this released protein in the development of adipose tissue and obesity-associated pathologies.Because of its ability to store extra energy as triacylglycerol (lipogenesis) and to release fatty acids and glycerol (lipolysis), adipose tissue plays a crucial role in energy balance. In obesity, excessive accumulation of triacylglycerol in adipocytes (hypertrophy) results from an alteration in the balance between lipogenic and/or lipolytic activities of the adipocytes.It is now recognized that, beside their involvement in lipid homeostasis, adipocytes also produce and secrete numerous factors. Among them are endocrine peptides (leptin, adiponectin, angiotensinogen, etc.) which may play an important role in the development of morbid complications of obesity such as cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, diabetes, and cancer. Other adipocyte-secreted factors (tumor necrosis factor, fatty acids, eicosanoids, lysophosphatidic acid, etc.) are produced locally and may influence adipose tissue development and/or metabolism by exerting autocrine/paracrine effects on the different cells composing adipose tissue (adipocytes, preadipocytes, and endothelial...

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA; 1-acyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphate) is a platelet-derived lipid mediator that activates its own G-protein-coupled receptor to trigger phospholipase C-mediated Ca2+ mobilization and other effector pathways in numerous cell types. In this study we have examined the structural features of LPA that are important for activation of the Ca(2+)-mobilizing receptor in human A431 carcinoma cells, which show an EC50 for oleoyl-LPA as low as 0.2 nM. When the acyl chain at the sn-1 position is altered, the rank order of potency is oleoyl-LPA > arachidonoyl-LPA > linolenoyl-LPA > linoleoyl-LPA > stearoyl-LPA = palmitoyl-LPA > myristoyl-LPA. The shorter-chain species, lauroyl- and decanoyl-LPA, show little or no activity. Ether-linked LPA (1-O-hexadecyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphate) is somewhat less potent than the corresponding ester-linked LPA; its stereoisomer is about equally active. Deletion of the glycerol backbone causes a 1000-fold decrease in potency. Replacement of the phosphate group in palmitoyl-LPA by a hydrogen- or methyl-phosphonate moiety results in complete loss of activity. A phosphonate analogue with a methylene group replacing the oxygen at sn-3 has strongly decreased activity. All three phosphonate analogues induce cell lysis at doses > 15 microM. Similarly, the methyl and ethyl esters of palmitoyl-LPA are virtually inactive and become cytotoxic at micromolar doses. None of the LPA analogues tested has antagonist activity. Sphingosine 1-phosphate, a putative messenger with some structural similarities to LPA, elicits a transient rise in intracellular [Ca2+] only at micromolar doses; however, cross-desensitization experiments indicate that sphingosine 1-phosphate does not act through the LPA receptor. The results indicate that, although many features of the LPA structure are important for optimal activity, the phosphate group is most critical, suggesting that this moiety is directly involved in receptor activation.

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a bioactive phospholipid acting via specific G protein-coupled receptors that is synthesized at the extracellular face of adipocytes by a secreted lysophospholipase D (autotaxin). Preadipocytes mainly express the LPA 1 receptor subtype, and LPA increases their proliferation. In monocytes and CV1 cells LPA was recently reported to bind and activate peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ␥ (PPAR␥), a transcription factor also known to play a pivotal role in adipogenesis. Here we show that, unlike the PPAR␥ agonist rosiglitazone, LPA was unable to increase transcription of PPAR␥-sensitive genes (PEPCK and ALBP) in the mouse preadipose cell line 3T3F442A. In contrast, treatment with LPA decreased PPAR␥2 expression, impaired the response of PPAR␥-sensitive genes to rosiglitazone, reduced triglyceride accumulation, and reduced the expression of adipocyte mRNA markers. The anti-adipogenic activity of LPA was also observed in the human SGBS (Simpson-Golabi-Behmel syndrome) preadipocyte cell line, as well as in primary preadipocytes isolated from wild type mice. Conversely, the anti-adipogenic activity of LPA was not observed in primary preadipocytes from LPA 1 receptor knock-out mice, which, in parallel, exhibited a higher adiposity than wild type mice. In conclusion, LPA does not behave as a potent PPAR␥ agonist in adipocytes but, conversely, inhibits PPAR␥ expression and adipogenesis via LPA 1 receptor activation. The local production of LPA may exert a tonic inhibitory effect on the development of adipose tissue.Enlargement of adipose tissue is conditioned by the ability of adipocytes to store triglycerides as well as by the ability of preadipocytes to differentiate into adipocytes (adipogenesis). The genetic program set up for adipogenesis is tightly controlled by the coordinated interplay of several transcription factors, the most important being peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ␥ (PPAR␥) 1 (mainly the isoform PPAR␥2) (11). Identifying the factors that control and/or regulate PPAR␥ activity and adipogenesis is of major interest for understanding the normal growth and the pathologic growth of adipose tissue. Many circulating factors (insulin, insulin growth factor I, growth hormone, glucocorticoids, thyroid hormone, etc.) are known to promote proliferation and/or differentiation of preadipocytes (see Ref. 1 for review). In addition, the production of paracrine and autocrine factors within adipose tissue could also play an important role in its development. Adipocytes release several peptides (leptin, adipsin, adiponectin, angiotensinogen, etc.) Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a potent bioactive phospholipid able to regulate several cellular responses via activation of specific G protein-coupled receptors. Four LPA receptor subtypes have been identified, namely LPA 1 , LPA 2 , LPA 3 , and LPA 4 (3). LPA 1 (edg-2 in the former nomenclature) was the first identified LPA receptor subtype. It is abundantly expressed in the central nervous system but is also present in numerous ...