Calcium Signaling and Transcriptional Regulation in Cardiomyocytes

Calcium (Ca 2+ ) is a universal regulator of various cellular functions. In cardiomyocytes, Ca 2+ is the central element of excitation-contraction coupling, but also impacts diverse signaling cascades and influences the regulation of gene expression, referred to as excitation-transcription coupling. Disturbances in cellular Ca 2+ -handling and alterations in Ca 2+ -dependent gene expression patterns are pivotal characteristics of failing cardiomyocytes, with several excitation-transcription coupling pathways shown to be critically involved in structural and functional remodeling processes. Thus, targeting Ca 2+ -dependent transcriptional pathways might offer broad therapeutic potential. In this article, we (1) review cytosolic and nuclear Ca 2+ dynamics in cardiomyocytes with respect to their impact on Ca 2+ -dependent signaling, (2) give an overview on Ca 2+ -dependent transcriptional pathways in cardiomyocytes, and (3) discuss implications of excitation-transcription coupling in the diseased heart.