Is Zn2+ the new Ca2+ for TRPC6 channels in the myocardium?

Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) channels are nonselective cation channels, which are mainly permeable to Ca2+ and Na+ but many of them are also permeable to Zn2+. In a new elegant study, a Zn2+-dependent pathway involving the TRP member TRPC6 and alpha 1-as well as beta-adrenoceptors (AR) was dissected in rodent myocytes. Norepinephrine-mediated activation of alpha 1-AR induces Zn2+ influx through TRPC6 channels, which reinforces beta-AR-mediated positive inotropy and may help patients with heart failure. This work encourages a closer look at the consequences of Zn2+ permeation through TRP channels in human health and disease.

Automated summary

Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) channels are nonselective cation channels that mainly allow the passage of Ca2+ and Na+, but some of them also permit the passage of Zn2+. A recent study discovered a Zn2+-dependent pathway involving the TRP member TRPC6 and alpha 1- as well as beta-adrenoceptors (AR) in rodent myocytes. This pathway, in which alpha 1-AR activation triggers Zn2+ influx through TRPC6 channels, enhances beta-AR-mediated positive inotropy and potentially benefits heart failure patients. This research highlights the importance of investigating the consequences of Zn2+ permeation through TRP channels in human health and disease.