Structural Mechanisms Underlying Distinct Binding and Activities of 18:0 and 18:1 Lysophosphatidic acids at LPA1 Receptor

Lysophosphatidic acids (LPAs) are bioactive lipids that regulate numerous physiological functions in humans. Cell signaling by LPAs is mediated mainly via six LPA receptors (LPA1-6), class A G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Among these, LPA1 is recognized to play an essential role in cell proliferation, survival, migration, and tumorigenesis. Despite the structural similarity, 18:0-LPA and 18:1-LPA exhibit distinct functional responses in cell lines overexpressing LPA1. Specifically, our in vitro studies show that 18:1-LPA induces greater Erk activation than 18:0-LPA in PC-3 human prostate cancer cells. The structural basis underlying this differential receptor activation has not been previously studied. Using classical molecular dynamics and enhanced sampling techniques, we examined the access and binding mechanisms of the two LPA species to the active state LPA1 receptor. The results show that 18:0-LPA and 18:1-LPA adopt distinct and dynamic poses in the orthosteric pocket despite their similar starting configurations. Mainly, the alkyl tails of the ligands exhibit distinct orientations and residue interactions, leading to differential conformational changes in key activation switches on the conserved CWxP and PIF structural motifs of the receptor. Also, there are significant differences in interhelical interactions at the intracellular end of the transmembrane helices 1, 3, 6, and 7. These distinct arrangements lead to striking differences in LPA1 interactions with the G-helix of the heterotrimeric Gi-protein. Notably, 18:0-LPA and 18:1-LPA exhibit similar membrane partitioning characteristics and receptor entry processes through aqueous paths. Our comprehensive in-silico studies offer valuable structural insights into the observed differences in functional responses by 18:0-and 18:1-LPA.