GPR55 is an orphan G protein-coupled receptor. In this study, we explored a possible endogenous ligand for GPR55 using HEK293 cells which expressed GPR55. We found that lysophosphatidylinositol induced rapid phosphorylation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase in transiently or stably GPR55-expressing cells. On the other hand, lysophosphatidylinositol did not induce phosphorylation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase in vector-transfected cells. Lysophosphatidic acid and sphingosine 1-phosphate also induced phosphorylation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase in GPR55-expressing cells. However, these lipid phosphoric acids elicited similar responses in vector-transfected cells. Various types of other lysolipids as well as the cannabinoid receptor ligands did not induce phosphorylation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase. We also found that lysophosphatidylinositol elicited a rapid Ca2+ transient in GPR55-expressing cells. Lysophosphatidylinositol also stimulated the binding of GTP gamma S to the GPR55-expressing cell membranes. These results strongly suggest that GPR55 is a specific and functional receptor for lysophosphatidylinositol. (c) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.