On the basis of the potencies of classical selective modulators of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (PDE) activities, five cyclic nucleotide PDE isoforms have been isolated and characterized in the cytosolic fraction of human term myometrium. By means of successive ion-exchange chromatographies, a calcium-calmodulin sensitive isoform, a cyclic GMP-stimulated isoform, a cyclic GMP-inhibited isoform, a rolipram-sensitive cyclic AMP-specific isoform and a cyclic GMP-specific isoform, corresponding to PDE I, PDE II, PDE III, PDE IV and PDE V, respectively, have been identified. We found that near term, human myometrium contains a higher proportion of the rolipram-sensitive type IV PDE isoform (about 50% of total cyclic AMP hydrolytic activity) than the type III cyclic GMP-inhibited PDE isoform (only 10%). Type IV PDE displays simple Michaelis-Menten kinetics with a high affinity for cyclic AMP (Km approximately 4.4 microM) and is selectively and competitively inhibited by rolipram (K(i) approximately 0.9 microM) and Ro 20-1724 (K(i) approximately 2.6 microM). The predominance of type IV PDE at the end of pregnancy suggests that this isoform contributes, via a modulation of the intracellular cyclic AMP level, to local control of uterine motility and thus could help the myometrium prepare for pronounced contractile activity at the time of parturition.