TMAO Impairs Mouse Aortic Vasodilation by Inhibiting TRPV4 Channels in Endothelial Cells

Trimethylamine oxide (TMAO) is an intestinal flora metabolite associated with risk of cardiovascular diseases. Transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) is a Ca²⁺-permeable ion channel that is essential for vasodilation and endothelial function. Currently, there are few studies on the effect of TMAO on TRPV4 channels. In the present study, Ca²⁺ imaging of vascular tissue showed that TMAO inhibited TRPV4-mediated Ca²⁺ influx into aortic endothelial cells in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, a whole-cell patch clamp assay showed that TMAO blocked TRPV4-mediated cation currents. Notably, results of aortic vascular tension measurement showed that TMAO impaired endothelium-dependent vasodilation in mouse aortic vessels through the TRPV4-NO pathway. Our results indicated that TMAO inhibited Ca²⁺ entry in endothelial cells and impaired vasodilation through the TRPV4-NO pathway in mice. These results provide scientific evidence for novel pathogenic mechanisms underlying the role of TMAO in cardiovascular disease.