Effect of lysophosphatidic acid on the ovum transport in mouse oviducts

The effects of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) on ovum transport in mouse oviducts were studied. When excised oviducts were incubated at 37 degrees C under 5% CO2 in humidified air for 24 hours, addition of LPA at 10 mu M to the medium significantly accelerated the rate of ovum transport, and 1 mu M LPA slightly increased the ovum transport rate, These increases were not inhibited by 10 mu M indomethacin, a cyclooxygense inhibitor, but were suppressed by 200 ng/ml of pertussis toxin or 10 mu M verapamil, a voltage-sensitive calcium channel blocker. These data suggested that LPA stimulates mouse ovum transport by contracting oviductual smooth muscle via a voltage-sensitive calcium channel mediated by a pertussis toxin-sensitive G-protein-linked receptor.