Phospholipid regulation of a cyclic AMP-specific phosphodiesterase (PDE4) from U937 cells

2,1,3-Benzothiadiazine derivatives: synthesis and screening versus PDE4 enzyme

A series of N-1,3 disubstituted 2,1,3-benzothiadiazine derivatives (BTDs) were synthesized and evaluated for their inhibitory activity versus enzymatic isoform PDE4 extracted from U937 cell line. Some of the tested compounds showed a high PDE4 inhibitory activity at 100 microM and the IC(50) value of the most interesting terms were evaluated. The structure-activity relationships of these compounds showed that the 3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxybenzyl moiety at N-1 position is important to obtain activity at micromolar level as previously reported. For the same compounds the antioxidant activity were evaluated highlighting 14 as the most significative one. The introduction of other bulky substituents in N-1 position is detrimental.

PDE4 cAMP phosphodiesterases: modular enzymes that orchestrate signalling cross-talk, desensitization and compartmentalization

cAMP is a second messenger that controls many key cellular functions. The only way to inactivate cAMP is to degrade it through the action of cAMP phosphodiesterases (PDEs). PDEs are thus poised to play a key regulatory role. PDE4 cAMP-specific phosphodiesterases appear to have specific functions with selective inhibitors serving as potent anti-inflammatory agents. The recent elucidation of the structure of the PDE4 catalytic unit allows for molecular insight into the mode of catalysis as well as substrate and inhibitor selectivity. The four PDE4 genes encode over 16 isoforms, each of which is characterized by a unique N-terminal region. PDE4 isoforms play a pivotal role in controlling functionally and spatially distinct pools of cAMP by virtue of their unique intracellular targeting. Targeting occurs by association with proteins, such as arrestins, SRC family tyrosyl kinases, A-kinase anchoring proteins ('AKAPs') and receptor for activated C kinase 1 ('RACK1'), and, in the case of isoform PDE4A1, by a specific interaction (TAPAS-1) with phosphatidic acid. PDE4 isoforms are 'designed' to be regulated by extracellular-signal-related protein kinase (ERK), which binds to anchor sites on the PDE4 catalytic domain that it phosphorylates. The upstream conserved region 1 (UCR1) and 2 (UCR2) modules that abut the PDE4 catalytic unit confer regulatory functions by orchestrating the functional outcome of phosphorylation by cAMP-dependent protein kinase ('PKA') and ERK. PDE4 enzymes stand at a crossroads that allows them to integrate various signalling pathways with that of cAMP in spatially distinct compartments.

Cyclic AMP specific phosphodiesterase activity and colon cancer cell motility

To investigate mechanisms for regulation of intracellular cAMP involved in cancer cell invasion, phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity in a colon cancer cell line, DLD-1, was studied. Activities of PDE 2, 4, and 5 were detected in DLD-1 cells by pharmacological approach. Specific and cell permeable inhibitors for those PDEs were used to determine which PDE is responsible for cAMP turnover involved in cancer cell motility. Treatment of DLD-1 cells with rolipram and Ro-20-1724 inhibitors for PDE 4, elevated intracellular cAMP contents three to five times of control. EHNA, an inhibitor for PDE 2, and zaprinast. an inhibitor for PDE 5, did not affect cAMP levels. To assess cellular motility, we utilized chemotaxis assay. EHNA and zaprinast did not suppress serum-induced chemotaxis. In contrast, rolipram and Ro-20-1724, suppressed chemotaxis in a dose dependent fashion. These suggest that PDE 4 plays a critical role in regulating intracellular cAMP levels of colon cancer cells and is involved in cancer invasion. PDE 4 can be a novel target of anti-invasion drug.

Phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitors in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

Phosphodiesterases (PDE) are a family of enzymes responsible for the metabolism of the intracellular second messengers cyclic AMP and cyclic GMP. PDE4 is a cyclic AMP specific PDE that is the major if not sole cyclic AMP metabolizing enzymes found in inflammatory and immune cells, and contributes significantly to cyclic AMP metabolism in smooth muscles. Based on its cellular and tissue distribution and the demonstration that selective inhibitors of this isozyme reduce bronchoconstriction in animals and suppress the activation of inflammatory cells, PDE4 has become an important molecular target for the development of novel therapies for asthma and COPD. This chapter will review the evidence demonstrating the ability of PDE4 inhibitors to modify airway obstruction, airway inflammation and airway remodelling and hyperreactivity, will present some preliminary findings obtained with theses compounds in clinical trials and and will discuss experimental approaches designed to identify novel compounds that maintain the beneficial activity of the initial selective PDE4 inhibitors but with a reduced tendency of elicit the gastrointestinal side effects observed with this class of compounds.

Selective activation of rolipram-sensitive, cAMP-specific phosphodiesterase isoforms by phosphatidic acid

In rat thymic lymphocytes, accumulation of phosphatidic acid (PA) occurs at the same time as decrease in cAMP levels and activation of a cAMP-specific phosphodiesterase (PDE) [type 4, EC 3.1.4.17 (PDE4)]. We investigated the nature of the PDE activated by PA and the mechanism of activation by using recombinant cAMP-specific PDE4 isoforms derived from three different genes (PDE4A, PDE4B, and PDE4D). The "long" variants expressed from each gene (PDE4A5, PDE4B1, and PDE4D3) were activated by PA, whereas the "short" variants (PDE4A1, PDE4B2, PDE4D1, and PDE4D2) were not. Phosphatidylserine was an activator that was as effective as PA, whereas phosphatidylcholine was ineffective, indicating that activation was restricted to anionic phospholipids. PA caused an increase in the Vmax value of PDE4D3 without affecting the Km value of the enzyme for the cAMP substrate. PA also caused a change in the Mg2+ requirement for hydrolysis. Half-maximal stimulation of the PDE was obtained with approximately 10 microg/ml PA. Although protein kinase A-mediated phosphorylation of PDE4D3 produces effects similar to those elicited by PA, the mechanism of PA-induced activation was not found to involve a phosphorylation. Instead, several observations suggest that PA may directly interact with the enzyme. The stimulation of cAMP PDEs by PA and other acidic phospholipids may be a mechanism by which growth factors and hormones modulate the cAMP-dependent signal transduction pathway during cell stimulation.

Activation of a cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) from rat thymocytes by phosphatidic acid

The cytosolic cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity from rat thymocytes was resolved into five peaks by HPLC. Only two forms of the cAMP-specific PDE4 were found to be sensitive to physiologically relevant phosphatidic acid (PA) concentrations. PA activated the PDE4-peak 3 form, the fatty acid composition and unsaturation degree determining the efficiency of PA. The PDE4-peak 2 form was inhibited only by PA with saturated fatty acyl groups. PDE4 activation was specific of anionic phospholipids, a free phosphate group in the phospholipid molecule being required for maximum activation. These results suggest that PA may contribute to the lowering of cAMP level required in the early steps of a lympho-proliferative response, thus regulating immune functions through PDE4 activation.