Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate triggers the protein kinase A-mediated phosphorylation and activation of the PDE4D5 cAMP phosphodiesterase in human aortic smooth muscle cells through a route involving extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK).

Phosphodiesterase 4D5 is the sole PDE4D cAMP phosphodiesterase isoform expressed in human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMC). Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) challenge of HASMC rapidly activated PDE4D5 through a process ablated by the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase inhibitor PD98059. PMA elicited an inhibitory effect on PDE4D5 activity in HASMC treated with the cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitor indomethacin, the COX-2 selective inhibitor NS-398, the phospholipase A(2) inhibitor quinacrine, and the cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor H89. PMA challenge of COS-1 cells elicited the rapid inhibition and phosphorylation of both recombinant and endogenous PDE4D5 in a manner ablated by PD98059 and not seen in S651A mutant PDE4D5. PMA promoted the generation of PGE(2) in the medium of HASMC and caused activation of both extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and PKA through a process ablated by indomethacin, NS-398, quinacrine, and PD98059. Exogenous prostaglandin (PG) E(2) increased cAMP levels and activated PKA in HASMC. COX-2 was expressed in HASMC but not in COS-1 cells. Forskolin challenge of COS-1 cells activated PDE4D5 by causing the PKA-mediated phosphorylation of Ser126 as detected using a novel phosphospecific antiserum. PMA challenge of HASMC elicited phosphorylation of the stimulatory PKA-specific phosphorylation site, Ser126 in PDE4D5 in a manner ablated by PD98059, indomethacin, and H89. We propose that, in HASMC, PMA activates PDE4D5 through an ERK-controlled autocrine mechanism. This involves PGE(2) generation, which causes activation of adenylyl cyclase, allowing PKA to elicit net activation of PDE4D5 by phosphorylation at Ser126.