Effects of lysophosphatidic acid on primary cultured chick neurons.

Lysophosphatidic acid caused growth cone collapse in primary cultured chick neurons. This action was dose dependent and the potency was almost identical in three different neuron types, dorsal root ganglion neurons, retinal neurons, and sympathetic ganglion cells. Fifty percent of growth cones were collapsed by 10(-6) M lysophosphatidic acid. The growth cone collapse started within 2 min after lysophosphatidic acid exposure and no homologous desensitization was observed. However, this action was reversible and not toxic to the neurons. Suramin, known as an antagonist to lysophosphatidic acid, itself had growth cone collapsing activity against cultured primary neurons.