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Sci. Signal., 3 June 2008
Vol. 1, Issue 22, p. re4
[DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.122re4]

REVIEWS

Pharmacological PKA Inhibition: All May Not Be What It Seems

Andrew J. Murray*

School of Medical Sciences, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK.

Gloss: One of the ways in which cells transduce intracellular signals is through the reversible phosphorylation of proteins by enzymes called protein kinases. Protein kinase A (PKA) is one of these kinases; it is activated in response to increases in intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) production and is involved in numerous cellular processes, including exocytosis, cell migration, and regulation of gene transcription. Many of the studies that have examined PKA function in cells have used two pharmacological PKA inhibitors, H89 and KT 5720. Recently, a number of studies have identified actions of these compounds that are not related to their ability to block PKA. This may cast doubt onto some of the accepted functions of PKA in cells, which were established in experiments using these inhibitors. Here, I discuss the nonspecific actions of H89 and KT 5720 and compare their actions to those of other PKA inhibitors.

*Corresponding author. E-mail, a.j.murray{at}abdn.ac.uk

Citation: A. J. Murray, Pharmacological PKA Inhibition: All May Not Be What It Seems. Sci. Signal. 1, re4 (2008).

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Protein Kinase A Activity Controls the Regulation of T-type CaV3.2 Channels by G{beta}{gamma} Dimers.
C. Hu, S. D. DePuy, J. Yao, W. E. McIntire, and P. Q. Barrett (2009)
J. Biol. Chem. 284, 7465-7473
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