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Over the last fifteen years there has been much excitement in the idea that targeting phosphodiesterase (PDE) 4 with small molecule inhibitors could lead to the discovery of novel, steroid-sparing compounds with utility in treating a multitude of diseases associated with chronic inflammation. However, dose-limiting side effects, of which nausea and vomiting are the most common are worrisome, have hampered their clinical development. Indeed, a fundamental obstacle that still is to be overcome by the pharmaceutical industry is to make compounds that dissociate beneficial from the adverse events. Unfortunately, both of these activities of PDE4 inhibitors represents an extension of their pharmacology and improving the therapeutic ratio has proved to be a major challenge. Several strategies have been considered, with some degree of success, but compounds with an optimal pharmacophore still have not been reported. An alternative approach to targeting PDE4 is to inhibit other cAMP PDE families that are also expressed in immune and pro-inflammatory cells in the hope that the beneficial activity can be retained at the expense of side effects. One such candidate is PDE7A. In this article we review the literature on PDE7A and explore the possibility that selective small molecule inhibitors of this enzyme family could provide a novel approach to alleviate the inflammation that is associated with many inflammatory diseases including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis.

The role of p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase, and extracellular-regulated protein kinase -1 and -2 in regulating constitutive apoptosis and interleukin (IL)-5-induced survival of human eosinophils have been investigated. Two populations of donors were identified whose eosinophils, in the absence of exogenous cytokines, underwent apoptosis at different rates. Eosinophils were thus arbitrarily classified as either "fast"- or "slow"-dying cells, where greater or less than 15% of the cells were apoptotic at 2 days, respectively. The selective p38 MAP kinase inhibitor, SB 203580, increased constitutive eosinophil apoptosis in both populations (EC(50) approximately 2 microM) as evinced from morphological analysis, flow cytometry, and DNA laddering. The ability of SB 203580 to kill eosinophils was not due to nonspecific toxicity or through the inhibition of prostanoid or leukotriene production. Exposure of eosinophils to IL-5, at a concentration (10 pM) that enhanced survival maximally, abolished SB 203580-induced apoptosis. In contrast PD 098059, which selectively blocks MAP kinase kinase (MEK) 1, did not affect apoptosis of fast- or slow-dying eosinophils, or the enhanced survival of cells effected by IL-5. Collectively, these results suggest that: 1) the basal activity of p38 MAP kinase may regulate the survival of cytokine-deprived eosinophils through inhibition of apoptosis, 2) the enhancement of eosinophil survival effected by IL-5 is mediated by a mechanism(s) divorced from the activation of p38 MAP kinase, and 3) neither spontaneous eosinophil apoptosis nor their enhanced survival by IL-5 involves the activation of MEK-1.

In this paper we report the characterization of a receptor for platelet-activating factor (PAF) on guinea pig peritoneal macrophages, using a radiolabeled hydrophilic PAF antagonist, [3H] apafant. [3H]Apafant bound to intact macrophages in a concentration-dependent manner that was specific, saturable, reversible, and inhibited competitively by C18-PAF (1-O-octadecyl-2-O-acetyl-sn-glyceryl- 3-phosphocholine). Scatchard transformation and Hill analysis of these data revealed that [3H]apafant identified a homogeneous population of noninteracting sites with a pKd of 8.22 nM and a Bmax of 31,600 sites/cell. The rate at which [3H]apafant associated with (Kon = 2.9 x 10(6) M-1.min-1) and dissociated from (Koff = 0.043 min-1) intact macrophages was slow, with t1/2 values of 15 and 50 min, respectively; the kinetically derived pKd was 8.3. In competition studies C18-PAF inhibited in a biphasic manner the binding of [3H]apafant to intact macrophages, which could be resolved into high (pKi = 8.27; 60%) and low (pKi = 6.06; 40%) affinity components. In macrophage membranes, the affinity of C18-PAF (pKi = 8.48) determined from competition studies with [3H]apafant was significantly reduced (pKi = 6.95) by guanosine-5'-O-(3-thio)triphosphate, whereas the mean slope of the inhibition curves was increased from 0.470 to 0.700. Functionally, C18-PAF (10 nM to 10 microM) evoked concentration-dependent .O2- generation that was biphasic in nature. Pretreatment of macrophages with apafant antagonized in a noncompetitive manner the first phase of C18-PAF (< 100 nM)-induced respiratory burst, whereas the second component (> 1 microM C18-PAF) of this response was unaffected. It is concluded that guinea pig peritoneal macrophages express receptors for PAF for which apafant has high affinity. The biphasic competition curves obtained with C18-PAF in binding experiments and the effect of guanosine-5'-O-(3-thio)triphosphate are consistent with the hypothesis that these apafant-sensitive PAF receptors are coupled to guanine nucleotide-binding proteins and can exist in at least two guanine nucleotide-regulated conformational states. It is also suggested that the noncompetitive antagonism of PAF-induced .O2- generation by apafant may be a consequence of the slow rate at which this antagonist dissociates from PAF receptors on intact macrophages.

We assessed the role of cyclic nucleotides in modulating lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) generation in human peripheral blood monocytes. Exposure of monocytes to LPS (3 ng/ml) evoked a delayed, time-dependent generation of TNF-alpha that reached a maximum level 5-6 hr after LPS challenge and remained constant for up to 24 hr. This effect was concentration dependent and resulted in a 20-40-fold increase in the release of TNF-alpha that was sensitive to actinomycin D and cycloheximide. Treatment of monocytes with agents reputed to activate the cAMP/cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) cascade in general inhibited LPS-induced TNF-alpha generation. Thus, the beta 2-adrenoceptor agonists albuterol and procaterol partially (approximately 40%) suppressed TNF-alpha generation in a propranolol-sensitive manner. Furthermore, 8-bromo-cAMP, cholera toxin, prostaglandin E2, and a number of drugs (i.e., rolipram (ZK 62711), denbufylline (BRL 30892), Ro 20-1724, benafentrine (AH 21-132), that inhibit the phosphodiesterase (PDE) 4 isoenzyme family abolished cytokine generation. In contrast, forskolin, inhibitors of PDE3 and PDE5, and activators of soluble and particulate guanylyl cyclase were essentially inactive. Interestingly, rolipram failed to potentiate the inhibitory effect of albuterol on LPS-induced TNF-alpha biosynthesis but, paradoxically, synergized with albuterol in the generation of cAMP and in the activation of PKA. When PGE2 was used to activate adenylyl cyclase, however, rolipram potentiated cAMP accumulation, PKA activation, and inhibition of TNF-alpha generation. In contrast, forskolin did not increase the cAMP content of monocytes in the absence or presence of rolipram. Collectively, these data suggest that LPS-induced TNF-alpha generation by human peripheral blood monocytes is due to increased transcription and subsequent translation of the TNF-alpha gene and that these effects are suppressed by a range of agents that activate the cAMP/PKA cascade. However, the failure of rolipram to potentiate the inhibitory effect of albuterol and procaterol on TNF-alpha generation suggests that beta 2-adrenoceptor agonists may affect gene expression and/or post-transcriptional regulatory processes by, at least in part, a cAMP-independent mechanism(s).

The early signalling events that may ultimately contribute to the assembly and subsequent activation of the NADPH oxidase in guinea-pig peritoneal eosinophils were investigated in response to leukotriene B4 (LTB4). LTB4 promoted a rapid, transient and receptor-mediated increase in the rate of H2O2 generation that was potentiated by R 59 022, a diradylglycerol (DRG) kinase inhibitor, implicating protein kinase C (PKC) in the genesis of this response. This conclusion was supported by the finding that the PKC inhibitor, Ro 31-8220, attenuated (by about 30%) the peak rate of LTB4-induced H2O2 generation under conditions where the same response evoked by 4 beta-phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu) was inhibited by more than 90%. Paradoxically, Ro 31-8220 doubled the amount of H2O2 produced by LTB4 which may relate to the ability of PKC to inhibit cell signalling through phospholipase C (PLC). Indeed, Ro 31-8220 significantly enhanced LTB4-induced Ins(1,4,5)P3 accumulation and the duration of the Ca2+ transient in eosinophils. Experiments designed to assess the relative importance of DRG-mobilizing phospholipases in LTB4-induced oxidase activation indicated that phospholipase D (PLD) did not play a major role. Thus, although H2O2 generation was abolished by butan-1-ol, this was apparently unrelated to the inhibition of PLD, as LTB4 failed to stimulate the formation of Ptd[3H]BuOH in [3H]butan-1-ol-treated eosinophils. Rather, the inhibition was probably due to the ability of butan-1-ol to increase the eosinophil cyclic AMP content. In contrast, Ca(2+)- and PLC-driven mechanisms were implicated in H2O2 generation, as LTB4 elevated the Ins(1,4,5)P3 content and intracellular free Ca2+ concentration in intact cells, and cochelation of extracellular and intracellular Ca2+ significantly attenuated LTB4-induced H2O2 generation. Pretreatment of eosinophils with wortmannin did not affect LTB4-induced H2O2 production at concentrations at which it abolished the respiratory burst evoked by formylmethionyl-leucylphenylalanine in human neutrophils. Collectively, these data suggest that LTB4 activates the NADPH oxidase in eosinophils by PLD- and PtdIns 3-kinase-independent mechanisms that involve Ca2+, PLC and PKC. Furthermore, the activation of additional pathways that do not require Ca2+ is also suggested by the finding that LTB4 evoked a significant respiratory burst in Ca(2+)-depleted cells.

In this study, a potential mechanism of beta2-adrenoreceptor desensitization has been explored that is based upon the enhanced degradation of cAMP by phosphodiesterase (PDE). Pretreatment of Jurkat T-cells with 8-bromo cAMP (8-Br-cAMP) or prostaglandin E2 increased PDE3 and PDE4 activity in an actinomycin D- and cycloheximide-sensitive manner. This effect was associated with increased expression of HSPDE3B, HSPDE4A4, HSPDE4D1, HSPDE4D2, and HSPDE4D3 mRNA transcripts. Western analysis reproducibly labeled a band of immunoreactivity in vehicle-treated cells that corresponded to HSPDE4A4 (125 kDa). Although the intensity of this band was unchanged in cells treated with 8-Br-cAMP, additional 68-72-kDa proteins (HSPDE4D2, HSPDE4D1) were labeled that were not detected after vehicle. Similar results were obtained with T-lymphocytes exposed to 8-Br-cAMP and fenoterol. However, in those experiments HSPDE4A4 and HSPDE4D1 appeared to be equally expressed in vehicle- and treated cells, whereas HSPDE4D2 (72 kDa) was detected only after 8-Br-cAMP. The up-regulation of PDE activity in Jurkat T-cells abolished the ability of isoproterenol to elevate cAMP, which was partially reversed by the non-selective PDE inhibitor, 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine, and by the PDE3 and PDE4 inhibitors, Org 9935 and rolipram, respectively. Collectively, these data suggest that chronic treatment of T-cells with cAMP-elevating agents compromises beta2-adrenoreceptor-mediated cAMP accumulation by increasing the expression of HSPDE3B and HSPDE4D gene products.

Indirect functional studies suggest that large-conductance calcium-activated potassium channels (BKCa channels) are involved in the control of ACh release from postganglionic, parasympathetic nerve terminals in the airways. The role of BKCa channels in regulating cholinergic neurotransmission was assessed by 1) investigating the effect of the putative BKCa channel opener NS1619 on cholinergic contractile responses and ACh output evoked by electrical field stimulation (EFS: 40 V, 0.5 ms, 4 Hz for 15 s every 4 min) and comparing the effect obtained with the inhibition of EFS-evoked ACh release by oxotremorine M, a muscarinic agonist, and 2) evaluating the sensitivity of these responses to the BKCa channel blocker iberiotoxin (IbTX). NS1619 (30 microM) inhibited cholinergic contractile responses by 60.0%. In contrast, NS1619 had no effect on contractile responses evoked by exogenous ACh (1 microM), which indicated that it was acting prejunctionally. NS1619 (30 microM) significantly inhibited EFS-induced ACh release by 33.9%. Oxotremorine M suppressed EFS-evoked ACh release in a concentration-dependent manner (at 1 microM, 77.4% inhibition). In neither case was the inhibition reversed by IbTX (100 nM). Collectively, the mechanical data suggest that NS1619 inhibits cholinergic contractile responses by interacting prejunctionally. The failure of IbTX to reverse the inhibitory action of NS1619 and oxotremorine M on ACh release indicates that activation of muscarinic autoinhibitory receptors is not coupled to the opening of IbTX-sensitive BKCa channels. Therefore, we propose that caution be exercised when using NS1619 as an activator of BKCa channels.

Stimulation of beta2-adrenoceptors with the selective beta2 agonist procaterol caused a biphasic decrease in cell surface M2 muscarinic receptor number in human embryonic lung 299 cells when measured with the hydrophilic antagonist [3H]N-methylscopolamine. In contrast, total muscarinic receptor number, measured with the lipophilic antagonist [3H]quinuclidinylbenzilate, decreased after only 24-hr treatments with procaterol. The loss in receptor number at 24 hr was mimicked with the use of forskolin and the cAMP analogue 8-bromo-cAMP, indicating a cAMP-mediated mechanism. Northern blot analysis showed a small and transient increase in m2-receptor mRNA levels up to 2 hr but no long term (24 hr) effect. Chronic (24 hr) treatment with 8-bromo-cAMP also had no effect on m2 muscarinic receptor mRNA, whereas forskolin caused a 50% reduction in the steady state levels of m2 mRNA that could be only partially blocked by the cAMP-dependent protein kinase inhibitor H-8 and the protein kinase C inhibitor GF 109203X. Procaterol-induced down-regulation of M2 receptors was fully blocked by N-[2-(methylamino)ethyl]-5'-isoquinoline-sulfonamide and 2-[1-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-inol-3-yl]-3-(indol-3-yl)maleimide, implicating both of these kinases in the M2 muscarinic receptor down-regulation. Conversely, the forskolin- and 8-bromo-cAMP-induced down-regulation was only partially inhibited and unaffected by these inhibitors, respectively. In control cells and those treated with procaterol for < / = 2 hr, cAMP generation was significantly inhibited by carbachol. The inhibitory effect of carbachol was, however, lost after 24-hr exposure to procaterol. This desensitization was partially reversed by preincubations with H-8 and GF 109203X. Collectively, these results suggest that transregulation of M2 muscarinic receptors by beta2-adrenoceptor stimulation can be demonstrated at the protein level in human embryonic lung 299 cells. Furthermore, a role is suggested for cAMP-dependent kinase and PKC in M2 muscarinic receptor down-regulation and their functional desensitization.

The cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase (PDE) III/IV inhibitor, zardaverine, and the PDE IV-selective inhibitor, rolipram, both caused concentration-dependent inhibition of opsonized zymosan-stimulated superoxide anion generation by purified human peripheral blood eosinophils with approximate IC50 values of 30 and 40 microM, respectively. In contrast, the selective PDE III inhibitor, SK&F 94120, was ineffective in suppressing this functional response at concentrations below 100 microM. The inhibitory effects of rolipram and zardaverine on superoxide anion generation were increased in the presence of the beta-2 adrenoceptor agonist, albuterol, which itself was an inhibitor of eosinophil respiratory burst (IC50 = 20 microM). The effects of albuterol and the PDE inhibitors in combination were simply additive. Paradoxically, both rolipram and zardaverine significantly potentiated albuterol-induced cyclic AMP accumulation in a synergic fashion. Cyclic AMP PDE activity of eosinophil homogenates was inhibited by both zardaverine (IC50 = 515 nM) and rolipram (IC50 = 550 nM) as well as two other PDE IV-selective inhibitors, Ro 20-1724 (IC50 = 3.0 microM) and denbufylline (IC50 = 360 nM), whereas SK&F 94120 was ineffective. These data suggest that cyclic AMP levels in human eosinophils are regulated by the action of a type IV PDE isoenzyme and that elevation of the intracellular cyclic AMP concentration by PDE IV inhibition can suppress the functional activity of these cells. However, the suppressor effect of the PDE IV inhibitors appears to be independent of that of a beta-2 adrenoceptor agonist, implying a possible adenylyl cyclase-independent mechanism of action for beta agonists in eosinophils.

We examined the effect of a type IV (rolipram) and a combined type III and IV (Org 20421) isoenzymeselective phosphodiesterase inhibitor upon allergeninduced pulmonary eosinophil recruitment in sensitised Brown Norway rats. Rats were sensitised with ovalbumin intraperitoneally and later challenged with ovalbumin aerosol which induced a significant increase in the total eosinophil and neutrophil count in bronchovalveolar lavage fluid at 24 hours (from 0.38 ± 0.12 to 1.36 ± 0.18 × 106,p < 0.01 and from 0.06 ± 0.01 to 0.33 ± 0.07 × 106,p < 0.01) respectively. Pretreatment with rolipram (30 µmol/kg) and Org 20421 (30 µmol/kg) abolished the eosinophilia and neutrophilia evoked by ovalbumin. We conclude that type IV and possibly type III isozyme phosphodiesterase inhibitors may regulate, directly or indirectly, eosinophil and neutrophil activity and/or those cells responsible for attracting them into the lung.