Abstract-We recently showed that phosphoinositide-3-kinase-␥-deficient (PI3K␥ Ϫ/Ϫ ) mice have enhanced cardiac contractility attributable to cAMP-dependent increases in sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca 2ϩ content and release but not L-type Ca 2ϩ current (I Ca,L ), demonstrating PI3K␥ locally regulates cAMP levels in cardiomyocytes. Because phosphodiesterases (PDEs) can contribute to cAMP compartmentation, we examined whether the PDE activity was altered by PI3K␥ ablation. Selective inhibition of PDE3 or PDE4 in wild-type (WT) cardiomyocytes elevated Ca 2ϩ transients, SR Ca 2ϩ content, and phospholamban phosphorylation (PLN-PO 4 ) by similar amounts to levels observed in untreated PI3K␥

Rationale Baseline contractility of mouse hearts is modulated in a PI3Kγ-dependent manner by type 4 phosphodiesterases (PDE4), which regulate cAMP levels within microdomains containing the sarcoplasmic reticular (SR) calcium-ATPase (SERCA2a). Objective To determine whether PDE4D regulates basal cAMP levels, phospholamban (PLN) phosphorylation and SERCA2a activity in SR microdomains. Methods & Results We assessed myocardial function in PDE4D-deficient (PDE4D−/−) and littermate wild-type (WT) mice at 10-12 weeks of age. Baseline cardiac contractility in PDE4D−/− mice was elevated in vivo and in Langendorff perfused hearts, while isolated PDE4D−/− cardiomyocytes showed increased Ca2+ transient amplitudes and SR Ca2+content, but unchanged ICa(L), compared to WT. The PKA inhibitor, Rp-cAMPS, lowered Ca2+ transient amplitudes and SR Ca2+ content in PDE4D−/− cardiomyocytes to WT levels. The PDE4 inhibitor rolipram (ROL) had no effect on cardiac contractility, Ca2+ transients or SR Ca2+ content in PDE4D−/− preparations but increased these parameters in WT hearts to levels indistinguishable from those in PDE4D−/−. The functional changes in PDE4D−/− myocardium were associated with increased PLN phosphorylation (pPLN) but not RyR2 receptor phosphorylation. ROL increased pPLN in WT cardiomyocytes to levels indistinguishable from those in PDE4D−/− cardiomyocytes. In murine and failing human hearts, PDE4D co-immunoprecipitated with SERCA2a but not with RyR2. Conclusions PDE4D regulates basal cAMP levels in SR microdomains through its interactions with SERCA2a-PLN. Since Ca2+ transient amplitudes are reduced in failing human myocardium, these observations may have therapeutic implications for patients with heart failure.