RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 The Long and Short of Vascular Smooth Muscle Phosphodiesterase-4 As a Putative Therapeutic Target JF Molecular Pharmacology JO Mol Pharmacol FD American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics SP 563 OP 567 DO 10.1124/mol.105.015719 VO 68 IS 3 A1 Miles D. Houslay YR 2005 UL http://molpharm.aspetjournals.org/content/68/3/563.abstract AB In this issue, Tilley and Maurice (p. 596) show that differentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells to a proliferative phenotype is associated with a profound up-regulation of specific phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4) isoforms because of increased histone acetylation. The increased PDE4 activity is seen as preventing cAMP from inhibiting the enhanced proliferation, migration, and production of extracellular matrix seen in activated VSMC. This Perspective examines the proposal that selective inhibition of PDE4D1/2 could find use in adjunctive pharmacotherapy after percutaneous coronary interventions and, in addition, discusses the recent genetic evidence that PDE4D7 may provide a therapeutic target in stroke.