Thematic minireview series on phospholipase D and cancer.

Phospholipase D (PLD) signaling plays a critical role in cell growth and proliferation, vesicular trafficking, secretion, and endocytosis. At the cellular level, PLD and its reaction product, phosphatidate, interact with a large number of protein partners that are directly related to the actin cytoskeleton and cell migration. Cancer invasion and metastasis rely heavily on cellular motility, and as such, they have put PLD at center stage in cancer research. This minireview series highlights some of the molecular mechanisms that provide evidence for the emerging tumorigenic potential of PLD, the role of the microenvironment, and putative connections with inflammation. PLD represents a potential target for the rational development of therapeutics against cancer and other diseases.