title: Increased production of bioactive lysophosphatidic acid by serum lysophospholipase D in human pregnancy.
abstract: Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a prototype of the lysophospholipid mediator family and has multiple effects in the female reproductive system. Although several metabolic routes have been reported for intracellular formation of LPA, a unique route involving lysophospholipase D, an extracellular enzyme that produces LPA in blood and body fluids, is particularly intriguing for its agonistic role. In this study, using an assay with radioactive palmitoyl-lysophosphatidylcholine, we found that lysophospholipase D activity producing palmitoyl-LPA in human serum gradually increased during pregnancy. Elevated activity of lysophospholipase D was not caused by changes in levels of their precursors, lysophosphatidylcholines, in nonpregnant women or in pregnant women at different gestational periods. With increasing length of gestation, the elevated activity in pregnant women was found to produce increasing proportions of LPA with a palmitoyl group versus other LPAs. These results suggest that LPA formed by increased activity of lysophospholipase D in blood might participate in maintenance of pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Health Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokushima, Shomachi, Tokushima 770-8505, Japan. tokumura@ph.tokushima-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tokumura
authors.forename: Yumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kanaya
authors.forename: Maki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyake
authors.forename: Shuji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamano
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Irahara
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fukuzawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D003035:Cobalt / Q000494:pharmacology; D004492:Edetic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D008244:Lysophosphatidylcholines / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D008246:Lysophospholipids / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D010727:Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood*; D015032:Zinc / Q000494:pharmacology; D000099189:Lysophospholipase D
chemical_list: D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D002614:Chelating Agents; D003035:Cobalt; D004492:Edetic Acid; D008244:Lysophosphatidylcholines; D008246:Lysophospholipids; D010727:Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases; D015032:Zinc; D000099189:Lysophospholipase D; C006065:We 201