Expression and functions of transient receptor potential channels in liver diseases.

Liver diseases constitute a major healthcare burden globally, including acute hepatic injury resulted from acetaminophen overdose, ischemia–reperfusion or hepatotropic viral infection and chronic hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease (ALD), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Attainable treatment strategies for most liver diseases remain inadequate, highlighting the importance of substantial pathogenesis. The transient receptor potential (TRP) channels represent a versatile signalling mechanism regulating fundamental physiological processes in the liver. It is not surprising that liver diseases become a newly explored field to enrich our knowledge of TRP channels. Here, we discuss recent findings revealing TRP functions across the fundamental pathological course from early hepatocellular injury caused by various insults, to inflammation, subsequent fibrosis and hepatoma. We also explore expression levels of TRPs in liver tissues of ALD, NAFLD and HCC patients from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) or The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and survival analysis estimated by Kaplan–Meier Plotter. At last, we address the therapeutical potential and challenges by pharmacologically targeting TRPs to treat liver diseases. The aim is to provide a better understanding of the implications of TRP channels in liver diseases, contributing to the discovery of novel therapeutic targets and efficient drugs. Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels are variously expressed in in liver tissues of patients subjected to different etiological factors, which paly complex roles from early hepatocellular injury to subsequent pathological process. TRPs display therapeutical potential and may provide pharmacological targets to treat liver diseases. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]