cAMP is a secondary messenger involved in multiple cellular processes. Activation of cAMP production is induced by signals given through many cellular receptors, mainly G-protein-coupled receptors, adrenergic and apurinergic receptors, as well as growth factor receptors.
1 Intracellular levels of cAMP are controlled by two groups of enzymes, those that induce it, the adenyl cyclases (AC), and those that degrade it, the phosphodiesterases (PDE). Ten different isoforms of AC (AC1–AC10) and 11 isoforms of PDE (PDE1–PDE11) have been reported.
2,3 T cell express different isoforms of AC (AC3, AC6, AC7, and AC9
4) and PDE (PDE1B, PDE3B, PDE4D, PDE8A, and PDE11
5,6). In general, AC are bound to the inner side of the cell membrane and, once activated, they transform ATP into cAMP. In contrast, PDE are mainly found in the cytoplasm and they hydrolyze cAMP to its inactive form, the adenosine 5′-monophosphate (AMP).
7Of particular interest is the fact that regulatory T cells (Treg) can induce cAMP in their target cells by increasing adenosine levels in the microenvironment, through conversion of ATP into adenosine, a process mediated by ectonucleotidases (CD39 and CD73) present at the surface of Treg.
8 First, CD39 hydrolyzes ATP or ADP into 5-AMP, which is cleaved into adenosine by CD73.
8 Pericellular adenosine signals through the purinergic receptor A2AR, thus inducing AC activation in Treg target cells.
An additional mechanism of increased intracellular cAMP involves influx of cAMP from Treg, through gap junctions (GJ). GJ are channels that allow intercellular communication between adjacent cells; they are formed by two opposing hemichannels from each cell, called connexons. This protein complex consists of six proteins called connexins (Cx).
9 GJ are used for the bidirectional passage of ions, metabolites, and other molecules of less than 1

kDa.
9 Resting T cells exhibit low density of Cx31.1, Cx32, Cx43, Cx45, and Cx46, which all increase after cellular activation.
10 Previous studies have shown that Treg contain high levels of intracellular cAMP, which they can transfer through GJ to target cells, including T cells and dendritic cells (DC), and thus increase intracellular cAMP in these target cells.
10,11cAMP activation initiates several major downstream signaling cascades. The canonical pathway is the activation of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase-A (PKA). More recently, cAMP was also shown to interact with the Exchange Protein Activated by cAMP (EPAC). A third major target is the Cyclic-Nucleotide Gated Ion Channel (CNG). Together or separately, these pathways regulate the transcriptional activity of many genes involved in cell cycle, cell survival, and cytokine secretion.
12 In addition to these two main pathways, cAMP directly regulates Ca
2+ levels by opening ion channels. This controls T cell proliferation and cytokine production.
12PKA acts on multiple signaling molecules inside the cells, thus inhibiting the transcription of many genes. It negatively regulates the transcription factor CREB, blocking the formation of the complex with the coactivator CBP, preventing the binding to the cAMP response elements (CRE).
13 These CRE binding elements are found in the promoter of many genes coding for the T cell receptor, CD3, and other molecules involved in T cell activation.
14 PKA also regulates the activity of NFAT, by blocking the interaction and the formation of protein complexes, and it blocks the formation of NF-κB and CBP/p300 complex.
15 In addition, PKA phosphorylate the proteins Raf-1, Ras, Mek, and HePTP in the MAPK pathway, as well as PLC-α
1 and PLC-β in the phosphatidylinositol pathway.
15,16The EPAC pathway regulates the expression of several genes associated with cell cycle, affecting T cell proliferation, as well as the production of cytokines such as IL-2 and IL-5.
17,18 Interestingly, anergic T cells express the active form of RAP-1, which is considered to function as a negative regulator of gene transcription induced by TCR engagement and IL-2.
19 In contrast, EPAC signaling does not appear to affect the maturation and function of DC.
20