Regulation of adrenal steroidogenesis by the high-affinity phosphodiesterase 8 family.
The main function of cyclic AMP phosphodiesterases (PDEs) is to degrade cAMP, a ubiquitous second messenger. Therefore, PDEs can function as prime regulators of cAMP/PKA-dependent processes such as steroidogenesis. Until recently, the roles of the PDE8 family have been largely unexplored, presumably due to the lack of a selective inhibitor. This review focuses on recent reports about the regulatory roles of the PDE8 family in adrenal steroidogenesis, as well as the inhibitory properties and specificity of a new PDE8-selective inhibitor, PF-04957325. We also describe a method of measuring urinary corticosterone levels in vivo as a minimally invasive way of monitoring the stress level in a mouse.
Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195-7280, USA.
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LC
Tsai
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JA
Beavo
D015105:3',5'-Cyclic-AMP Phosphodiesterases / Q000378:metabolism*; D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D005810:Multigene Family; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D013256:Steroids / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors; D013256:Steroids; D015105:3',5'-Cyclic-AMP Phosphodiesterases; D003345:Corticosterone