Autotaxin (ATX), or ecto-nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase 2 (ENPP2), is a secreted lysophospholipase D that produces the lipid mediator lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) through hydrolysis of lysophosphatidylcholine. LPA is a mitogen and chemoattractant for many cell types. ATX has been implicated in tumour progression and inflammation, and might serve as a biomarker.

Researchers around Dr. Huib Ovaa, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, describe the development of a fluorescent activity-based probe that covalently binds to the active site of ATX, allowing visualization of active ATX.

The activity-based reporter will be useful for monitoring ATX activity in biological fluids and for inhibitor screening.

• Development of an Activity-Based Probe for Autotaxin,
  Silvia Cavalli, Anna J. S. Houben, Harald M. H. G. Albers, Erica W. van Tilburg, Arnoud de Ru, Junken Aoki, Peter van Veelen, Wouter H. Moolenaar, Huib Ovaa
  ChemBioChem 2010.
  DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201000349