Chronic stress and neuronal vulnerability have recently been recognized as factors contributing to cognitive disorders. One way to modify neuronal vulnerability is through mediation of phosphodiesterase 2 (PDE2), an enzyme that exerts its action on cognitive processes via the control of intracellular second messengers, cGMP and, to a lesser extent, cAMP. This study explored the effects of a PDE2 inhibitor, Bay 60-7550, on stress-induced learning and memory dysfunction in terms of its ramification on behavioral, morphological and molecular changes. Bay 60-7550 reversed stress-induced cognitive impairment in the Morris water maze (MWM), novel object recognition and location tasks (ORT/OLT), effects prevented by treatment with 7-NI, a selective inhibitor of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS); MK801, a glutamate receptor (NMDAR) inhibitor; myr-AIP, a CaMKII inhibitor; and KT5823, a PKG inhibitor. Bay 60-7550 also ameliorated stress-induced structural remodeling in the CA1 of the hippocampus, leading to increases in dendritic branching, length, and spine density. However, the neuroplasticity initiated by Bay 60-7550 was not seen in the presence of 7-NI, MK801, myr-AIP or KT5823. PDE2 inhibition reduced stress-induced ERK activation and attenuated stress-induced decreases in transcription factors (e.g., Elk-1, TORC1, and pCREB) and plasticity-related proteins (e.g, Egr-1 and BDNF). Pre-treatment with inhibitors of NMDA, CaMKII, nNOS, PKG (or PKA), blocked the effects of Bay 60-7550 on cGMP or cAMP signaling. These findings indicate that the effect of PDE2 inhibition on stress-induced memory impairment is potentially mediated via modulation of neuroplasticity-related, NMDAR-CaMKII-cGMP/cAMP signaling.

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Phosphodiesterase 2 (PDE2) is an enzyme responsible for hydrolysis of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) to restrict intracellular signalling of these second messenger molecules. This study investigated how PDE2 inhibitor Bay 60-7550 affects the dysregulated glucocorticoid signalling in neuronal cells and regulates depressive behaviours after chronic stress in mice. We found that exposure of hippocampal neurons to corticosterone resulted in time- and concentration-dependent increases in PDE2 expression. These intriguing findings were confirmed in the hippocampal cell line HT-22. After corticosterone exposure for 24 h, HT-22 cells showed a concentration-dependent increase in mRNA levels for PDE2 subtypes, PDE2A1 and 2A3, as well as for the total PDE2A protein expression. Bay 60-7550 was found to reverse the cell lesion induced by corticosterone (50 μm). This neuroprotective effect was blocked by pretreatment with protein kinase G inhibitor KT5823, but not protein kinase A inhibitor H89, suggesting the involvement of cGMP-dependent signalling. Although Bay 60-7550 treatment for 24 h did not change the levels of phosphorylated mitogen-activated protein kinases ERK1/2 (pERK) and phosphorylated cAMP response element-binding protein (pCREB), it down-regulated pERK at 2 h and up-regulated a CREB co-activator, CREB-binding protein, at 24 h. Both of these effects were blocked by KT 5823. Furthermore, Bay 60-7550 reversed corticosterone-induced down-regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor protein levels 24 h after corticosterone exposure. In behavioural testing, Bay 60-7550 produced antidepressant-like effects and reduced corticosterone levels in stressed mice, further supporting the involvement of a PDE2-dependent pathway in mediating Bay 60-7550's effect during stress hormone insults.

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