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...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inHormone and metabolic research Vol. 44; no. 10; p. 790
Main Authors Tsai, L-C L, Beavo, J A
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Germany 01.09.2012
Subjects
3',5'-Cyclic-AMP Phosphodiesterases - metabolism
Adrenal Cortex - cytology
Adrenal Cortex - metabolism
Animals
Corticosterone - urine
Humans
Multigene Family
Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors - pharmacology
Steroids - biosynthesis
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Summary: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.
ISSN:1439-4286
DOI:10.1055/s-0032-1321861