Cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase with specificity for the second messengers cAMP and cGMP, which are key regulators of many important physiological processes (PubMed:1315035, PubMed:25961942, PubMed:8155697, PubMed:8695850). Has also activity toward cUMP (PubMed:27975297). Independently of its catalytic activity it is part of an E2/17beta-estradiol-induced pro-apoptotic signaling pathway. E2 stabilizes the PDE3A/SLFN12 complex in the cytosol, promoting the dephosphorylation of SLFN12 and activating its pro-apoptotic ribosomal RNA/rRNA ribonuclease activity. This apoptotic pathway might be relevant in tissues with high concentration of E2 and be for instance involved in placenta remodeling (PubMed:31420216, PubMed:34707099).
