LPCAT1 suppresses ovarian cancer cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis through inhibiting the Ras/MAPK pathway by regulating PAF concentration

Lysophosphatidylcholine Acyltransferase 1 (LPCAT1), encodes a member of the 1-acyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase family of proteins. LPCAT1 is an independent predictor of early tumor recurrence and represents a novel biomarker for the prognosis of human cancer. However, whether LPCAT1 plays an important role in the development of ovarian cancer has not been reported. In this study, we found that LPCAT1 protein level was negatively related to International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage and patient with LPCAT1-positive showed significant association with longer disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in ovarian cancer patients. Knockdown of LPCAT1 in 3AO and HO-8910 cells could increase the concentration of PAF, and then activate the Ras/MAPK pathway, and ultimately promote the proliferation, invasion and metastasis in vitro and in vivo, which could be partially rescued by Salirasib or SP600125 treatment. While overexpression of LPCAT1 in ES-2 and HO-8910PM cells had the opposite effects. Our study suggested that LPCAT1 may be a novel idea for the diagnosis and prognosis of ovarian cancer, and increasing protein level of LPCAT1 may be a new treatment for ovarian cancer.