Editorial: Involvements of TRP channels, oxidative stress and apoptosis in neurodegenerative diseases

The oxygen free radicals generated during metabolism can cause cumulative oxidative damage to nucleic acids, lipids, and protein, resulting in structural degeneration, apoptosis, functional decline, and age-related degenerative diseases involving the cardiovascular, endocrine, neurologic, immune, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and reproductive systems. The transient receptor potential (TRP) protein superfamily is composed of several cation-permeable channels that are widely distributed in mammalian cells. TRP channels can be divided into six subfamilies that are dependent on their sequence identity. These channels play a crucial role in the regulation of oxidative stress and should be considered as likely targets for the treatment of age-related neurodegenerative diseases associated with chronic oxidative stress, decreases in metabolic regulation, and cell viability.