Transient receptor potential melastatin 2 (TRPM2) is an oxidative stress sensing calcium-permeable channel that is thought to contribute to calcium dysregulation associated with neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease.
We investigated the mechanisms by which Aβ<sub>42</sub> activates the TRPM2 channel in microglial cells and the relationships to microglial activation and generation of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), a key cytokine implicated in AD.
Emerging evidence supports an important role for the ROS-sensitive TRPM2 channel in mediating age-related cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease (AD), particularly neurotoxicity resulting from generation of excessive neurotoxic Aβ peptides.
The 'hypothesis' based on these new findings discusses the prospect of considering the TRPM2 channel as a novel therapeutic target for intervening AD and age-related dementia.