Lysophosphatidic acid metabolism and signaling in heart disease

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a bioactive lipid that is mainly produced by the secreted lysophospholipase D, autotaxin (ATX), and signals through at least six G protein-coupled receptors (LPA1-6). Extracellular LPA is degraded through lipid phosphate phosphatases (LPP1, LPP2, and LPP3) at the plasmamembrane, terminating LPA receptor signaling. The ATX-LPA-LPP3 pathway is critically involved in a wide range of physiological processes, including cell survival, migration, proliferation, angiogenesis, and organismal development. Similarly, dysregulation of this pathway has been linked to many pathological processes, including cardiovascular disease. This review summarizes and interprets current literature examining the regulation and role of the ATX-LPA-LPP3 axis in heart disease. Specifically, the contribution of altered LPA metabolism via ATX and LPP3 and resulting changes to LPA receptor signaling in obesity cardiomyopathy, cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction, myocardial infarction/ischemia-reperfusion injury, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and aortic valve stenosis is discussed.