Hydrolyzes lysophospholipids to produce lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) in extracellular fluids. Major substrate is lysophosphatidylcholine. Also can act on sphingosylphosphphorylcholine producing sphingosine-1-phosphate, a modulator of cell motility. Can hydrolyze, in vitro, bis-pNPP, to some extent pNP-TMP, and barely ATP. Involved in several motility-related processes such as angiogenesis and neurite outgrowth. Acts as an angiogenic factor by stimulating migration of smooth muscle cells and microtubule formation. Stimulates migration of melanoma cells, probably via a pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein. May have a role in induction of parturition. Possible involvement in cell proliferation and adipose tissue development. Tumor cell motility-stimulating factor.
[1]Structural basis of substrate discrimination and integrin binding by autotaxin." Hausmann J., Kamtekar S., Christodoulou E., Day J.E., Wu T., Fulkerson Z., Albers H.M., van Meeteren L.A., Houben A.J., van Zeijl L., Jansen S., Andries M., Hall T., Pegg L.E., Benson T.E., Kasiem M., Harlos K., Kooi C.W. Perrakis A.Nat. Struct. Mol. Biol. 18:198-204(2011). [2]Potential involvement of adipocyte insulin resistance in obesity-associated up-regulation of adipocyte lysophospholipase D/autotaxin expression." Boucher J., Quilliot D., Pradere J.P., Simon M.F., Gres S., Guigne C., Prevot D., Ferry G., Boutin J.A., Carpene C., Valet P., Saulnier-Blache J.S.Diabetologia 48:569-577(2005). [3]Autotaxin (NPP-2), a metastasis-enhancing mitogen, is an angiogenic factor." Nam S.W., Clair T., Kim Y.S., McMarlin A., Schiffmann E., Liotta L.A., Stracke M.L. Cancer Res. 61:6938-6944(2001).
