G2A Is a Proton-sensing G-protein-coupled Receptor Antagonized by Lysophosphatidylcholine

G2A (from G2 accumulation) is a G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) that regulates the cell cycle, proliferation, oncogenesis, and immunity. G2A shares significant homology with three GPCRs including ovarian cancer GPCR (OGR1/GPR68), GPR4, and T cell death-associated gene 8 (TDAG8). Lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) and sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPC) were reported as ligands for G2A and GPR4 and for OGR1 (SPC only), and a glycosphingolipid psychosine was reported as ligand for TDAG8. As OGR1 and GPR4 were reported as proton-sensing GPCRs (Ludwig, M. G., Vanek, M., Guerini, D., Gasser, J. A., Jones, C. E., Junker, U., Hofstetter, H., Wolf, R. M., and Seuwen, K. (2003) Nature 425, 93-98), we evaluated the proton-sensing function of G2A. Transient expression of G2A caused significant activation of the zif 268 promoter and inositol phosphate (IP) accumulation at pH 7.6, and lowering extracellular pH augmented the activation only in G2A-expressing cells. LPC inhibited the pH-dependent activation of G2A in a dose-dependent manner in these assays. Thus, G2A is another proton-sensing GPCR, and LPC functions as an antagonist, not as an agonist, and regulates the proton-dependent activation of G2A.