Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase isoforms in human basophils and mast cells

Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE) exists as multiple molecular forms. Of the 11 families of PDE identified so far, PDE4, a cAMP-specific PDE, has been identified as the major isoform regulating inflammatory activity. The principle aim of the present study was to determine whether human basophils and human lung mast cells express PDE4. Four sub-classes of PDE4 (A, B, C, and D) have been identified and expression of these was determined by RT-CPR and by western blotting. In basophils, prominent expression of mRNA for PDE4A and PDE4D was observed whereas little if any expression of PDE4B and PDE4C was detected. These findings were paralleled by immunoblotting experiments as human basophils were found to express PDE4A and PDE4D with little evidence for the presence of either PDE4B or PDE4C. By contrast, human lung mast cells expressed very little, if any, mRNA for PDE4 sub-classes although, in some preparations, some modest levels of mRNA for PDE4D were detected. However, there was no evidence, at the protein level, that mast cells express PE4. Overall, these data indicate that basophils express PDE4 (4A and 4D) whereas human lung mast cells do not.