Rationale cAMP is an important regulator of myocardial function, and regulation of cAMP hydrolysis by cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDEs) is a critical determinant of the amplitude, duration, and compartmentation of cAMP–mediated signaling. The role of different PDE isozymes, particularly PDE3A versus PDE3B, in the regulation of heart function remains unclear. Objective To determine the relative contribution of PDE3A versus PDE3B isozymes in the regulation of heart function and to dissect the molecular basis for this regulation. Methods and Results Compared to wild-type (WT) littermates, cardiac contractility and relaxation were enhanced in isolated hearts from PDE3A−/−, but not PDE3B−/−, mice. Furthermore, PDE3 inhibition had no effect on PDE3A−/− hearts but increased contractility in WT (as expected) and PDE3B−/− hearts to levels indistinguishable from PDE3A−/−. The enhanced contractility in PDE3A−/− hearts was associated with cAMP-dependent elevations in Ca2+ transient amplitudes and increased SR Ca2+ content, without changes in L-type Ca2+ currents (ICa,L) of cardiomyocytes, as well as with increased SR Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA2a) activity, SR Ca2+ uptake rates, and phospholamban (PLN) phosphorylation in SR fractions. Consistent with these observations, PDE3 activity was reduced ~8-fold in SR fractions from PDE3A−/− hearts. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments further revealed that PDE3A associates with both SERCA2a and PLN in a complex which also contains AKAP-18, PKA-RII and PP2A. Conclusion Our data support the conclusion that PDE3A is the primary PDE3 isozyme modulating basal contractility and SR Ca2+ content by regulating cAMP in microdomains containing macromolecular complexes of SERCA2a-PLN-PDE3A.

Although inhibition of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase type 3 (PDE3) has been reported to protect rodent heart against ischemia/ reperfusion (I/R) injury, neither the specific PDE3 isoform involved nor the underlying mechanisms have been identified. Targeted disruption of PDE3 subfamily B (PDE3B), but not of PDE3 subfamily A (PDE3A), protected mouse heart from I/R injury in vivo and in vitro, with reduced infarct size and improved cardiac function. The cardioprotective effect in PDE3B −/− heart was reversed by blocking cAMP-dependent PKA and by paxilline, an inhibitor of mitochondrial calcium-activated K channels, the opening of which is potentiated by cAMP/PKA signaling. Compared with WT mitochondria, PDE3B−/− mitochondria were enriched in antiapoptotic Bcl-2, produced less reactive oxygen species, and more frequently contacted transverse tubules where PDE3B was localized with caveolin-3. Moreover, a PDE3B −/− mitochondrial fraction containing connexin-43 and caveolin-3 was more resistant to Ca 2+ -induced opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore. Proteomics analyses indicated that PDE3B−/− heart mitochondria fractions were enriched in buoyant ischemia-induced caveolin-3-enriched fractions (ICEFs) containing cardioprotective proteins. Accumulation of proteins into ICEFs was PKA dependent and was achieved by ischemic preconditioning or treatment of WT heart with the PDE3 inhibitor cilostamide. Taken together, these findings indicate that PDE3B deletion confers cardioprotective effects because of cAMP/PKA-induced preconditioning, which is associated with the accumulation of proteins with cardioprotective function in ICEFs. To our knowledge, our study is the first to define a role for PDE3B in cardioprotection against I/R injury and suggests PDE3B as a target for cardiovascular therapies. PDE3B−/− mice | protein kinase A | ischemia/reperfusion injury | signalosome | membrane repair