The TRPM7 Channel in the Nervous and Cardiovascular Systems

Transient receptor potential melastatin 7 (TRPM7), along with the closely related TRPM6, are unique channels that have dual operations: cation permeability and kinase activity. In contrast to the limited tissue distribution of TRPM6, TRPM7 is widely expressed among tissues and is therefore implicated in a variety of cellular functions physiologically and pathophysiologically. The discovery of TRPM7’s unique structure imparting dual ion channel and kinase activities shed light onto novel and peculiar biological functions, such as Mg2+ homeostasis, cellular Ca2+ flickering, and even intranuclear transcriptional regulation by a cleaved kinase domain translocated to nuclei. Interestingly, at a higher level, TRPM7 participates in several biological processes in the nervous and cardiovascular systems, in which excitatory responses in neurons and cardiomyocytes are critical for their function. Here, we review the roles of TRPM7 in cells involved in the nervous and cardiovascular systems and discuss its potential as a future therapeutic target.