Transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 channel participates in mouse ventricular electrical activity

The TRPV4 channel is a calcium-permeable channel (P_Ca/P_Na ∼ 10). Its expression has been reported in ventricular myocytes, where it is involved in several cardiac pathological mechanisms. In this study, we investigated the implication of TRPV4 in ventricular electrical activity. Left ventricular myocytes were isolated from trpv4 and trpv4 mice. TRPV4 membrane expression and its colocalization with L-type calcium channels (Ca_v1.2) was confirmed using Western blot biotinylation, immunoprecipitation, and immunostaining experiments. Then, electrocardiograms (ECGs) and patch-clamp recordings showed shortened QTc and action potential (AP) duration in trpv4 compared with trpv4 mice. Thus, TRPV4 activator GSK1016790A produced a transient and dose-dependent increase in AP duration at 90% of repolarization (APD₉₀) in trpv4 but not in trpv4 myocytes or when combined with TRPV4 inhibitor GSK2193874 (100 nM). Hence, GSK1016790A increased calcium transient (CaT) amplitude in trpv4 but not in trpv4 myocytes, suggesting that TRPV4 carries an inward Ca²⁺ current in myocytes. Conversely, TRPV4 inhibitor GSK2193874 (100 nM) alone reduced APD₉₀ in trpv4 but not in trpv4 myocytes, suggesting that TRPV4 prolongs AP duration in basal condition. Finally, introducing TRPV4 parameters in a mathematical model predicted the development of an inward TRPV4 current during repolarization that increases AP duration and CaT amplitude, in accord with what was found experimentally. This study shows for the first time that TRPV4 modulates AP and QTc durations. It would be interesting to evaluate whether TRPV4 could be involved in long QT-mediated ventricular arrhythmias.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) is expressed at the membrane of mouse ventricular myocytes and colocalizes with non-T-tubular L-type calcium channels. Deletion of trpv4 gene in mice results in shortened QT interval on electrocardiogram and reduced action potential duration of ventricular myocytes. Pharmacological activation of TRPV4 channel leads to increased action potential duration and increased calcium transient amplitude in trpv4 but not in trpv4 ventricular myocytes. To the contrary, TRPV4 channel pharmacological inhibition reduces action potential duration in trpv4 but not in trpv4 myocytes. Integration of TRPV4 channel in a computational model of mouse action potential shows that the channel carries an inward current contributing to slowing down action potential repolarization and to increase calcium transient amplitude, similarly to what is observed experimentally. This study highlights for the first time the involvement of TRPV4 channel in ventricular electrical activity.