Autotaxin Explained

Autotaxin, also known as ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase family member 2 (E-NPP 2), is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the ENPP2 gene.[1] [2]

Function

Autotaxin is a secreted enzyme important for generating the lipid signaling molecule lysophosphatidic acid (LPA). Autotaxin has lysophospholipase D activity that converts lysophosphatidylcholine into LPA.

Autotaxin was originally identified as a tumor cell-motility-stimulating factor; later it was shown to be LPA (which signals through lysophospholipid receptors), the lipid product of the reaction catalyzed by autotaxin, which is responsible for its effects on cell-proliferation.

The protein encoded by this gene functions as a phosphodiesterase. Autotaxin is secreted and further processed to make the biologically active form. Several alternatively spliced transcript variants have been identified. Autotaxin is able to cleave the phosphodiester bond between the α and the β position of triphosphate nucleotides, acting as an ectonucleotide phosphodiesterase producing pyrophosphate, as most members of the ENPP family. Importantly, autotaxin also acts as phospholipase, catalyzing the removal of the head group of various lysolipids. The physiological function of autotaxin is the production of the signalling lipid lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) in extracellular fluids. LPA evokes growth factor-like responses including stimulation of cell proliferation and chemotaxis. This gene product stimulates the motility of tumor cells, has angiogenic properties, and its expression is up-regulated in several kinds of tumours. Also, autotaxin and LPA are involved in numerous inflammatory-driven diseases such as asthma and arthritis.[3] Physiologically, LPA helps promote wound healing responses to tissue damage. Under normal circumstances, LPA negatively regulates autotaxin transcription, but in the context of wound repair, cytokines induce autotaxin expression to increase overall LPA concentrations.[4]

As a drug target

Various small molecule inhibitors of autotaxin have been developed for clinical applications. A specific inhibitor against idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis showed promising results in a phase II trial that ended in May 2018. A DNA aptamer inhibitor of Autotaxin has also been described.[5]

Recently, it has been shown that THC is also a partial autotaxin inhibitor, with an apparent IC50 of 407 ± 67 nM for the ATX-gamma isoform.[6] THC was also co-crystallized with autotaxin, deciphering the binding interface of the complex. These results might explain some of the effects of THC on inflammation and neurological diseases, since autotaxin is responsible of LPA generation, a key lipid mediator involved in numerous diseases and physiological processes. However, clinical trials need to be performed in order to assess the importance of ATX inhibition by THC during medicinal cannabis consumption. Development of cannabinoid inspired autotaxin inhibitors could also be an option in the future.

Structure

The crystal structures of rat and mouse autotaxin[7] have been solved. In each case, the apo structure has been solved along with those of product- or inhibitor-bound complexes. Both proteins consist of 4 domains, including 2 N-terminal somatomedin-B-like (SMB) domains which may be involved in cell-surface localisation. The catalytic domain follows and contains a deep hydrophobic pocket in which the lipid substrate binds. At the C-terminus is the inactive nuclease domain which may function to aid protein stability.

See also

References

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Kawagoe H, Soma O, Goji J, Nishimura N, Narita M, Inazawa J, Nakamura H, Sano K . Molecular cloning and chromosomal assignment of the human brain-type phosphodiesterase I/nucleotide pyrophosphatase gene (PDNP2) . Genomics . 30 . 2 . 380–4 . November 1995 . 8586446 . 10.1006/geno.1995.0036 . 20.500.14094/D1001481 . free .
  2. Web site: Entrez Gene: ENPP2 ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase 2 (autotaxin).
  3. Benesch MG, Ko YM, McMullen TP, Brindley DN . Autotaxin in the crosshairs: taking aim at cancer and other inflammatory conditions . FEBS Letters . 588 . 16 . 2712–27 . August 2014 . 24560789 . 10.1016/j.febslet.2014.02.009 . 35544825 .
  4. Benesch MG, Zhao YY, Curtis JM, McMullen TP, Brindley DN . Regulation of autotaxin expression and secretion by lysophosphatidate and sphingosine 1-phosphate . Journal of Lipid Research . 56 . 6 . 1134–44 . June 2015 . 25896349 . 10.1194/jlr.M057661 . free . 4442871.
  5. Kato K, Ikeda H, Miyakawa S, Futakawa S, Nonaka Y, Fujiwara M, Okudaira S, Kano K, Aoki J, Morita J, Ishitani R, Nishimasu H, Nakamura Y, Nureki O . Structural basis for specific inhibition of Autotaxin by a DNA aptamer . Nature Structural & Molecular Biology . 23 . 5 . 395–401 . May 2016 . 27043297 . 10.1038/nsmb.3200 . 24948842 .
  6. Eymery . Mathias C . McCarthy . Andrew A . Hausmann . Jens . February 2023 . Linking medicinal cannabis to autotaxin–lysophosphatidic acid signaling . Life Science Alliance . en . 6 . 2 . e202201595 . 10.26508/lsa.202201595 . 2575-1077 . 9834664 . 36623871.
  7. Nishimasu H, Okudaira S, Hama K, Mihara E, Dohmae N, Inoue A, Ishitani R, Takagi J, Aoki J, Nureki O . Crystal structure of autotaxin and insight into GPCR activation by lipid mediators . Nature Structural & Molecular Biology . 18 . 2 . 205–12 . February 2011 . 21240269 . 10.1038/nsmb.1998 . 6336916 .

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