AzoLPA
1-(E)-4-(4-((4-butylphenyl)diazenyl)phenyl)butanoyl]-2-hydroxy-sn-glycero-3-phosphate (ammonium salt)
Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) acts as an extracellular signaling molecule and activates LPA1-6 receptors. These receptors are of particular importance in the nervous, cardiovascular, reproductive, gastrointestinal, and pulmonary systems. AzoLPA is embedded with an azobenzene photoswitch which enables the optical control of LPA receptor activation. The light-induced cis- form shows greater activation of LPA receptors than its dark-adapted trans- form.
Morstein J, Dacheux MA, Norman DD, Shemet A, Donthamsetti PC, Citir M, Frank JA, Schultz C, Isacoff EY, Parrill AL, Tigyi GJ, Trauner D. Optical Control of Lysophosphatidic Acid Signaling. J Am Chem Soc. 2020 Jun 17;142(24):10612-10616. doi: 10.1021/jacs.0c02154. Epub 2020 Jun 5. PMID: 32469525.