Emerging Roles of TRP Channels in Brain Pathology

The Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) channels compromise a superfamily of polymodal receptors that are critically involved in the detection of diverse stimuli such as temperature or pH changes, noxious chemicals or mechanical forces. This ability to sense environmental changes is essential for survival, and thus the disruption of TRP channel function can have a severe impact on human health, as evidenced by the increasing number of hereditary and acquired diseases linked to TRP channels. Many members of the TRP channel superfamily are expressed in the brain. However, their role is not restricted in sensing brain microenvironmental changes and seems quite complex. Indeed, TRP channels expressed in neuronal, glial or endothelial cells have been shown to regulate many aspects of brain physiology such as neural network formation or synaptic transmission.

Brain disorders are very diverse in origin and in symptomatic condition, suggesting the involvement of many signalling mechanisms. Interestingly, several TRP channels are linked to the development or progression of neuropathology such as strokes, neurodegenerative diseases, and psychiatric disorders, which are currently not properly treated. Therefore, unraveling novel and unsuspected mechanisms in which TRP channels are involved could offer promising leads for the development of new therapeutic strategies. In this regard, TRP channels constitute promising targets when considering the large panel of natural and synthetic compounds that specifically modulate them.

This Research Topic intends to cover promising and novel research trends in the field of TRP channels related to brain pathology. Areas of interest for this Research Topic may include, but are not limited to:

- TRP channels functions in neuronal and glial cells
- TRP channels and partner proteins in brain pathology
- Targeting TRP channels as therapeutic strategies of brain disease