Advances in lysophosphatidic acid for bone remodeling

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), a simple bioactive lysophospholipid widely dispersed in human body, has been reported to regulate the proliferation, chemotaxis and differentiation of multiple cells and further participate in various developmental and pathophysiological processes through at least six specific G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), LPA1-LPA6. Recently, the possibility of targeting LPA or LPA receptors in bone remodeling has been heatedly discussed. On the one hand, LPA modulate the activities of bone-related cells directly. On the other hand, LPA might be the potential regulator that links the nervous-vascular-immune-skeletal systems, which could provide a good microenvironment for bone remodeling and further promote bone regeneration. Thus, this review summarizes recent studies on the effects and application prospect of LPA on bone remodeling.