Autotaxin determines colitis severity in mice and is secreted by B cells in the colon

Autotaxin (ATX or ENPP2) is a secreted lysophospholipase D that produces lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), a pleiotropic lipid mediator acting on specific GPCRs. ATX and LPA have been implicated in key (patho)physiologic processes, including embryonic development, lymphocyte homing, inflammation, and cancer progression. Using LPA receptor knockout mice, we previously uncovered a role for LPA signaling in promoting colitis and colorectal cancer. Here, we examined the role of ATX in experimental colitis through inducible deletion of Enpp2 in adult mice. ATX expression was increased upon induction of colitis, whereas ATX deletion reduced the severity of inflammation in both acute and chronic colitis, accompanied by transient weight loss. ATX expression in lymphocytes was strongly reduced in Rag1(−/−) and μMT mice, suggesting B cells as a major ATX-producing source, which was validated by immunofluorescence and biochemical analyses. ATX secretion by B cells from control, but not Enpp2 knockout, mice led to ERK activation in colorectal cancer cells and promoted T cell migration. We conclude that ATX deletion suppresses experimental colitis and that B cells are a major source of ATX in the colon. Our study suggests that pharmacological inhibition of ATX could be a therapeutic strategy in colitis.—Lin, S., Haque, A., Raeman, R., Guo, L., He, P., Denning, T. L., El-Rayes, B., Moolenaar, W. H., Yun, C. C. Autotaxin determines colitis severity in mice and is secreted by B cells in the colon.