Involvement of oncogenic K-ras on cell migration stimulated by lysophosphatidic acid receptor-2 in pancreatic cancer cells

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) mediates a variety of cellular responses with atleast six G protein-coupled transmembrane receptors (LPA receptor−1 (LPA1–LPA6)). The interaction between LPA receptors and other cellular molecules on the biological function is not fully understood. Recently, we have reported that LPA1 suppressed and LPA3 stimulated cell migration of pancreatic cancer cells. In the present study, to evaluate the function of LPA2 on motile and invasive activities of pancreatic cancer cells, we generated Lpar2 knockdown (HPD-sh2) cells from hamster pancreatic cancer cells and measured their cell migration ability. In cell motility and invasive assays with an uncoated Cell Culture Insert, HPD-sh2 cells showed significantly lower intrinsic activity than control (HPD–GFP) cells. Since K-ras mutations were frequently detected in pancreatic cancer, we next investigated whether oncogenic K-ras is involved in cell migration induced by LPA2 using K-ras knockdown (HPD-K2) cells. The cell motile ability of HPD-K2 cells was significantly lower than that of control cells. To confirm LPA2 increases cell migration activity, cells were pretreated with dioctylglycerol pyrophosphate (DGPP) which is the antagonist of LPA1/LPA3. The cell motile and invasive abilities of DGPP -treated HPD–GFP cells were markedly higher than those of untreated cells, but DGPP did not stimulate cell migration of HPD-K2 cells. These results suggest that cell migration activity of pancreatic cancer cells stimulated by LPA2 may be enhanced by oncogenic K-ras.

► Loss of LPA2 inhibited cell migration of pancreatic cancer cells.
► Cell migration of pancreatic cancer cells was enhanced by DPGG treatment.
► K-ras knockdown inhibited cell migration of pancreatic cancer cells.
► Oncogenic K-ras is involved in cell migration activity of pancreatic cancer cells stimulated by LPA2.