lysophospholipids

Lysophospholipids are a class of glycerophospholipids that have one fatty acyl chain removed, leaving a monoacyl phospholipid. The most common members are lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE), and lysophosphatidic acid (LPA). They are amphipathic molecules that can vary in headgroup and in the remaining acyl chain, influencing their physical properties and biological activity.

Biosynthesis and metabolism occur through multiple routes. The removal of a fatty acid from phospholipids is primarily carried out by phospholipase A1 or A2, generating various lysophospholipids. LPC can be further processed by autotaxin (ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase) to yield LPA. Lysophospholipids can be reacylated back into diacyl phospholipids by lysophospholipid acyltransferases, a step part of the Lands cycle that remodels membrane lipids. They can also be degraded by lysophospholipases. The balance between formation, remodeling, and degradation shapes their cellular levels.

Biological roles are diverse. In membranes, lysophospholipids influence curvature, permeability, and dynamics due to their single fatty acyl chain. LPC and related species can act as inflammatory mediators, whereas LPA is a potent signaling lipid that activates several G protein–coupled receptors (LPA1–LPA6) to regulate cell proliferation, migration, survival, and differentiation. The lysophospholipid–autotaxin–LPA axis is involved in vascular biology, wound healing, and nervous system function, and it has been linked to various pathologies.

Analytically, lysophospholipids are analyzed in lipidomics workflows using techniques such as LC-MS/MS. Their levels in biological samples can reflect enzymatic activity, signaling states, or disease processes, making them of interest in research and potential clinical contexts.