PDE4B was previously shown to be a dominant PDE4 subtype of neutrophils. However, its physiological role in the neutrophil function has not been evaluated. In this study, the inhibitory eff ects of a phosphodiesterase 4B (PDE4B)-selective inhibitor (compound A) and subtype non-selective PDE4 inhibitors (rofl umilast and cilomilast) were evaluated in human peripheral blood cells. Compound A, rofl umilast and cilomilast in a similar manner inhibited TNF-a production by LPS-stimulated human mononuclear cells. However, the inhibitory eff ect of compound A on IL-8 or LTB 4 -induced chemotactic response of neutrophils was modest even at the highest concentration (10 µmol L -1 ), whereas rofl umilast and cilomilast inhibited IL-8 or LTB 4 -induced neutrophil chemotaxis. Our results suggest that PDE4B does not play an important role during the chemotactic response of human neutrophils.Keywords: phosphodiesterase 4B, phosphodiesterase 4D, mo nonuclear cells, neutrophils Eleven structurally related but functionally distinct gene families (PDE1 to PDE11) have been identifi ed in mammalians and comprise the PDE superfamily (1, 2). PDE4 is a cAMP-specifi c phosphodiesterase and has been shown to play key roles in the regulation of a number of infl ammatory processes such as cell tracking, release of infl ammatory mediators and immune cell proliferation. The PDE4 family is composed of 4 diff erent genes, PDE4A, B, C, and D, which are distinguished from other PDEs by a unique N terminus, which is involved in intracellular targeting and regulating catalytic activity.The physiological role of PDE4 subtypes in human blood leukocytes has been investigated mainly in monocytes and T cells but not in neutrophils. It has been suggested that PDE4A and/or PDE4B play key roles in the LPS-induced TNF-α release from monocyte and T cell proliferation using several PDE4 inhibitors with diff erent subtype specifi city (3).