Besides serving as a structural membrane component and intermediate of the glycerolipid metabolism, lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) has a prominent role as a signaling molecule through its binding to LPA receptors at the cell surface. Extracellular LPA is primarily produced from lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) through the activity of secreted lysophospholipase D, autotaxin (ATX). The degradation of extracellular LPA to monoacylglycerol is mediated by lipid phosphate phosphatases (LPPs) at the cell membrane. This review summarizes and interprets current literature on the role of the ATX-LPA-LPP3 axis in the regulation of energy homeostasis, insulin function, and adiposity at baseline and under conditions of obesity. We also discuss how the ATX-LPA-LPP3 axis influences obesity-related metabolic complications, including insulin resistance, fatty liver disease, and cardiomyopathy.
Keywords: LPA receptor; autotaxin; cardiomyopathy; diabetes; energy metabolism; inflammation; insulin resistance; lipid phosphate phosphatase; lysophosphatidic acid; obesity.