Lysophosphatidic acid phosphatase type 6 is an acid phosphatase enzyme that is encoded in humans by the ACP6 gene.
It acts as a phosphomonoesterase at low pHs. It is responsible for the hydrolysis of Lysophosphatidic acids (LPAs) to their respective monoacylglycerols and the release a free phosphate group in the process. The enzyme has higher activity for myristate-LPA (14 carbon chain), oleate-LPA (18 carbon chain and one unsaturated carbon-carbon bond), laurate-LPA (12 carbon chain) or palmitate-LPA (16 carbon chain). When the substrate is stearate-LPA (18 carbon chain), the enzyme has reduced activity. Phosphatidic acids can also be hydrolyzed by lysophosphatidic acid phosphatase, but at a significantly lower rate. The addition of the second fatty chain makes fitting into the active site much harder.
LPAs are necessary for healthy cell growth, survival and pro-angiogenic factors for both in vivo and in vitro cells. Unbalanced concentrations of lysophosphatidic acid phosphatase can frequently lead to unbalanced LPA concentrations, which can cause metabolic disorders, and lead to ovarian cancer in women.
