Pathophysiological Roles of the TRPV4 Channel in the Heart

The transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) channel is a non-selective cation channel that is mostly permeable to calcium (Ca2+), which participates in intracellular Ca2+ handling in cardiac cells. It is widely expressed through the body and is activated by a large spectrum of physicochemical stimuli, conferring it a role in a variety of sensorial and physiological functions. Within the cardiovascular system, TRPV4 expression is reported in cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells (ECs) and smooth muscle cells (SMCs), where it modulates mitochondrial activity, Ca2+ homeostasis, cardiomyocytes electrical activity and contractility, cardiac embryonic development and fibroblast proliferation, as well as vascular permeability, dilatation and constriction. On the other hand, TRPV4 channels participate in several cardiac pathological processes such as the development of cardiac fibrosis, hypertrophy, ischemia-reperfusion injuries, heart failure, myocardial infarction and arrhythmia. In this manuscript, we provide an overview of TRPV4 channel implications in cardiac physiology and discuss the potential of the TRPV4 channel as a therapeutic target against cardiovascular diseases.

Automated summary

The TRPV4 channel plays a role in intracellular calcium handling in cardiac cells and is involved in various physiological functions in the cardiovascular system. It modulates mitochondrial activity, calcium homeostasis, electrical activity and contractility of cardiomyocytes, as well as vascular permeability, dilatation and constriction. Furthermore, TRPV4 channels are implicated in cardiac pathological processes such as fibrosis, hypertrophy, ischemia-reperfusion injuries, heart failure, myocardial infarction and arrhythmia. This manuscript provides an overview of the implications of TRPV4 channel in cardiac physiology and discusses its potential as a therapeutic target for cardiovascular diseases.