title: Impaired growth and fertility of cAMP-specific phosphodiesterase PDE4D-deficient mice.
abstract: In eukaryotic cells, the inactivation of the cyclic nucleotide signal depends on a complex array of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDEs). Although it has been established that multiple PDE isoenzymes with distinct catalytic properties and regulations coexist in the same cell, the physiological significance of this remarkable complexity is poorly understood. To examine the role of a PDE in cAMP signaling in vivo, we have inactivated the type 4 cAMP-specific PDE (PDE4D) gene, a mammalian homologue of the Drosophila dunce. This isoenzyme is involved in feedback regulation of cAMP levels. Mice deficient in PDE4D exhibit delayed growth as well as reduced viability and female fertility. The decrease in fertility of the null female is caused by impaired ovulation and diminished sensitivity of the granulosa cells to gonadotropins. These pleiotropic phenotypes demonstrate that PDE4D plays a critical role in cAMP signaling and that the activity of this isoenzyme is required for the regulation of growth and fertility.
authors.affiliation: Division of Reproductive Biology, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305-5317, USA.
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Richard
authors.forename: W P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: D'Ercole
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Conti
mesh_terms: D015105:3',5'-Cyclic-AMP Phosphodiesterases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D005091:Exons; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000235:genetics*; D015723:Gene Library; D006107:Granulosa Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008957:Models, Genetic; D010060:Ovulation / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype; D011995:Recombination, Genetic; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D015105:3',5'-Cyclic-AMP Phosphodiesterases