Research progress on transient receptor potential canonical channels and cardiac hypertrophy

Transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) channels, as a type of nonselective cation channels, are widely distributed and expressed in the heart. The significance of cardiac TRPC channels is likely connected to the alternation of membrane potential and Ca2+ into a microdomain compartment, which plays a critical role in physiological and pathological responses of the heart. Ca2+ not only involves in the excitation-contraction coupling but also induces the expression of genes responsible for various cardiac diseases. Recently, new evidence has demonstrated that TRPC channel may play a specific role in the development of cardiac hypertrophy through regulating the alteration of intercellular Ca2+ and coordinating with signaling effectors such as calcineurin (CaN) and nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) and may also trigger cardiac diseases such as cardiac fibrosis, arrhythmia and heart failure. In this paper we review the research progress on the role of TRPC channels in cardiac hypertrophy and other heart diseases.