A SINGLE RECEPTOR ENCODED BY VZG-1 LP(A1)/EDG-2 COUPLES TO G-PROTEINSAND MEDIATES MULTIPLE CELLULAR-RESPONSES TO LYSOPHOSPHATIDIC ACID/

Extracellular lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) produces diverse cellular re sponses in many cell types. Recent reports of several molecularly dist inct G protein coupled receptors have raised the possibility that the responses to LPA stimulation could be mediated by the combination of s everal uni-functional receptors. To address this issue, we analyzed on e receptor encoded by ventricular zone gene-1 (vzg-1) (also referred t o as lp(A1)/edg-2) by using heterologous expression in a neuronal and nonneuronal cell line. VZG-1 expression was necessary and sufficient i n mediating multiple effects of LPA: [H-3]-LPA binding, G protein acti vation, stress fiber formation, neurite retraction, serum response ele ment activation, and increased DNA synthesis. These results demonstrat e that a single receptor, encoded by vzg-1, can activate multiple LPA- dependent responses in cells from distinct tissue lineages.