cAMP-specific 3',5'-cyclic phosphodiesterase 4A is an
enzyme
Enzymes () are proteins that act as biological catalysts by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different molecules known as products. A ...
that in humans is encoded by the ''PDE4A''
gene
In biology, the word gene (from , ; "...Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''generation'' or ''birth'' or ''gender'') can have several different meanings. The Mendelian gene is a ba ...
.
Function
The protein encoded by this gene belongs to the
cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase
3′,5′-cyclic-nucleotide phosphodiesterases (EC 3.1.4.17) are a family of phosphodiesterases. Generally, these enzymes hydrolyze a nucleoside 3′,5′-cyclic phosphate to a nucleoside 5′-phosphate:
:nucleoside 3′,5′-cyclic phosphate + ...
(PDE) family, and
PDE4 At least four types of the enzyme phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) are known:
* PDE4A
* PDE4B
* PDE4C
* PDE4D
See also
* 3',5'-cyclic-AMP phosphodiesterase
* Phosphodiesterase (PDE)
* PDE4 inhibitor
A phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitor, commonly referred ...
subfamily. This PDE
hydrolyzes
Hydrolysis (; ) is any chemical reaction in which a molecule of water breaks one or more chemical bonds. The term is used broadly for substitution, elimination, and solvation reactions in which water is the nucleophile.
Biological hydrolysis ...
the secondary messenger,
cAMP
Camp may refer to:
Outdoor accommodation and recreation
* Campsite or campground, a recreational outdoor sleeping and eating site
* a temporary settlement for nomads
* Camp, a term used in New England, Northern Ontario and New Brunswick to descri ...
, which is a regulator and mediator of a number of cellular responses to extracellular signals. Thus, by regulating the cellular concentration of cAMP, this protein plays a key role in many important physiological processes.
Recently, it has been shown through the use of PDE4A knock out mice that PDE4A may play a role in the regulation of anxiety and emotional memory.
Clinical significance
PDE4A inhibition is a target of a number of drugs including:
*
rolipram
Rolipram is a selective phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitor discovered and developed by Schering AG as a potential antidepressant drug in the early 1990s. It served as a prototype molecule for several companies' drug discovery and development efforts ...
(antidepressant and antiinflammatory) and
cilomilast
Cilomilast (INN, codenamed SB-207,499, proposed trade name Ariflo) is a drug which was developed for the treatment of respiratory disorders such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It is orally active and acts as a selectiv ...
(antiinflammatory) – inhibits PDE4A isoforms 1, 2, 6, and 7
*
roflumilast
Roflumilast, sold under the trade name Daxas among others, is a drug that acts as a selective, long-acting inhibitor of the enzyme phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE-4). It has anti-inflammatory effects and is used as an orally administered drug for the ...
(antiinflammatory) – inhibits PDE4A isoforms 1, 2, and 6
References
Further reading
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