Expression and Function of Lysophosphatidic Acid LPA1 Receptor in Prostate Cancer Cells

The bioactive phospholipid lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) promotes cell proliferation, survival, and migration by acting on cognate G protein-coupled receptors named LPA1, LPA2, and LPA3. We profiled gene expression of LPA receptors in androgen-dependent and androgen-insensitive prostate cancer cells and found that LPA1 gene is differentially expressed in androgen-insensitive and LPA-responsive but not androgen-dependent and LPA-resistant cells. In human prostate specimens, expression of LPA1 gene was significantly higher in the cancer compared with the benign tissues. The androgen-dependent LNCaP cells do not express LPA1 and do not proliferate in response to LPA stimulation, implying LPA1 transduces cell growth signals. Accordingly, stable expression of LPA1 in LNCaP cells rendered them responsive to LPA-induced cell proliferation and decreased their doubling time in serum. Implantation of LNCaP-LPA1 cells resulted in increased rate of tumor growth in animals compared with those tumors that developed from the wild-type cells. Growth of LNCaP cells depends on androgen receptor activation, and we show that LPA1 transduces Gαi-dependent signals to promote nuclear localization of androgen receptor and cell proliferation. In addition, treatment with bicalutamide inhibited LPA-induced cell cycle progression and proliferation of LNCaP-LPA1 cells. These results suggest the possible utility of LPA1 as a drug target to interfere with progression of prostate cancer.