ENPP2
ENPP2 (ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase 2), also known as autotaxin, ATX, PD-IALPHA or PDNP2, is a secreted lysophospholipase D. It hydrolyses lysophospholipids to produce the signalling lipid lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) in extracellular fluids. Browse Assay Genie's current range of ENPP2 research reagents below, or read on for the biology behind the target.
ENPP2 is a secreted lysophospholipase D that hydrolyses lysophospholipids to generate lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) in extracellular fluids. Its major substrate is lysophosphatidylcholine. It can also act on sphingosylphosphorylcholine to produce sphingosine-1-phosphate, a modulator of cell motility. The enzyme is required for LPA production in activated platelets, where it cleaves sn-1 lysophospholipids to give sn-1 LPA species containing mainly 18:2 and 20:4 fatty acids, and it prefers the sn-1 isomer of lyso-PAF over the sn-2 isomer. In vitro it can also hydrolyse bis-pNPP and, to some extent, pNP-TMP, but it barely acts on ATP.
The ENPP2 gene encodes a protein that works as both a phosphodiesterase, cleaving phosphodiester bonds at the 5' end of oligonucleotides, and a phospholipase. The product is secreted and then processed to form the biologically active enzyme. Several alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding different isoforms have been identified. The protein belongs to the nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase family, alongside ENPP1, ENPP3 and ENPP7. Mouse and rat both carry an Enpp2 ortholog.
LPA evokes growth factor-like responses, including stimulation of cell proliferation and chemotaxis, and ENPP2 is linked to several motility-related processes. It acts as an angiogenic factor by stimulating migration of smooth muscle cells and microtubule formation, and it is involved in neurite outgrowth. It stimulates migration of melanoma cells, probably via a pertussis toxin-sensitive G protein, and promotes the motility of tumour cells. Its expression is upregulated in several kinds of carcinomas. Further roles proposed in the annotation include induction of parturition, cell proliferation and adipose tissue development. Researchers studying the ENPP2 gene, the autotaxin protein or the ENPP2–LPA axis often use ENPP2 antibody and ENPP2 ELISA kit approaches.
ENPP2 produces extracellular LPA from lysophosphatidylcholine, making it central to studies of this growth factor-like lipid mediator.
ENPP2 stimulates tumour cell motility, including melanoma cell migration, and its expression is upregulated in several kinds of carcinomas.
ENPP2 acts as an angiogenic factor, stimulating smooth muscle cell migration and microtubule formation.
ENPP2 is required for LPA production in activated platelets and acts on lysophospholipids such as lyso-PAF.
ENPP2 is a secreted lysophospholipase D. It hydrolyses lysophospholipids, mainly lysophosphatidylcholine, to produce lysophosphatidic acid in extracellular fluids. It can also act on sphingosylphosphorylcholine to give sphingosine-1-phosphate, and it contributes to motility-related processes such as angiogenesis and neurite outgrowth.
ENPP2 is widely called autotaxin or ATX. Other aliases are PD-IALPHA and PDNP2, the latter being a previous gene symbol. The gene is reported to produce several alternatively spliced transcript variants that encode different isoforms, and the secreted protein is processed to its active form.
ENPP2 stimulates the motility of tumour cells and has angiogenic properties, and its expression is upregulated in several kinds of carcinomas. Mouse and rat both have an Enpp2 ortholog; check the datasheet of any product for its validated reactivity.
Other members of the ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase family with products at Assay Genie.
Gene and protein annotations from HGNC, NCBI Gene and UniProt Q13822; product specifications from Assay Genie datasheets.