Calcium sensing receptor and heart diseases

Calcium ion is the first identified endogenous substance to function as both a first and second messenger via the stimulation of an extracellular calcium sensing receptor (CaR). CaR is a seven transmembrane G-protein-coupled receptor, which activates intracellular effectors, for example, it causes inositol phosphate (IP) accumulation to increase the release of intracellular calcium. Furthermore, more and more evidence shows that CaR is related to mediating the cellular functions in various cells.

Since 2003, CaR has been detected to be functionally expressed in the atria and ventricle of the rat hearts. Recently, increasing evidence suggests that CaR has been involved in apoptosis in the ischemia/reperfusion heart through caspase-3-Cytochrome c and FasL/Fas and endoplasmic reticulum stress pathways and also involved in cardiac hypertrophy-induced by AngII through CaN pathway in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes.

These results suggested that CaR in cardiac tissue might have a physiological and pathophysiological role in heart disease. This review revealed CaR's structure and function and emphasized the role of CaR in the cardiac tissues.