Summary
The predominant cAMP phosphodiesterase in human platelets is the low Km cGMP-inhibited phosphodiesterase (PDE 3A). We have isolated native PDE3A from platelets
and human erythroleukemia (HEL) cells and studied its kinetics. The platelet and HEL
cell enzymes hydrolyze cAMP with Km = 0.5 μM. Incubation of cell supernatant with cAMP dependent protein kinase resulted
in a rapid increase in activity within minutes, which resulted from a 2-fold decrease
in Km with no increase in Vmax. HEL cells grown for 24 h in the presence of 50 (iM forskolin, an adenylate cyclase
activator, demonstrate further increase in PDE3A of 274% of control (p = 0.03). Cells
incubated with forskolin and cycloheximide or actinomycin D demonstrated no increase
suggesting that cAMP stimulates PDE3A synthesis by transcriptional regulation. The
results indicate that cAMP affects both the short and long-term regulation of PDE3A.
The latter effect may play a role in the developing hematopoietic cell and the cardiovascular
system to regulate cAMP levels.