| Modification Notes |
PDE4B (phosphodiesterase 4B, cAMP-specific phosphodiesterase E4 dunce homolog, DPDE4, PDEIVB) catalyzes the hydrolysis of the second messenger cyclic adenosine 3',5' monophosphate (cAMP). PDE4B is a member of the type IV, cAMP-specific, cyclic nucleotide PDE family. Cyclic nucleotides are important second messengers that transmit cellular responses to extracellular signals, such as hormones, light and neurotransmitters. Altered activity of PDE4B may have an influence on schizophrenia and bipolar conditions. Tran-scription splice variants encoding different isoforms have been characterized. PDE4A, PDE4B and PDE4D are widely expressed in human inflammatory cells, including monocytes and T lymphocytes. There are 11 families of PDEs that put together are responsible for the metabolism of cAMP and cGMP. |