Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a bioactive mediator and induces several
biological effects, including cell proliferation, migration, morphogenesis and
differentiation. LPA interacts with at least six G protein-coupled receptors
(GPCRs), including LPA receptor-1 (LPA1), LPA2,
LPA3, LPA4, LPA5 and LPA6. These
receptors show different biological functions through the binding of LPA,
depending on the type of cells. In human malignancies, a high level of LPA
production was found in plasma and ascites in ovarian cancer cases. Moreover,
aberrant expression levels of LPA receptor genes were detected in some cancer
cells. Therefore, it is suggested that LPA receptors may be involved in the
pathogenesis of tumor cells as well as LPA per se. Recently, we have reported
that alterations of LPA receptor genes also occur in rodent tumors. In this
review, we summarize the recent evidence in the investigations of LPA receptor
alterations in rodent tumors by experimental models.