Insights into the Expression, Structure, and Function of the Thromboxane A2 Receptor in Vascular Biology

The thromboxane A2 receptor is known for its role in platelet aggregation. In platelets, loss or gain-of-function of the thromboxane A2 receptor may therefore lead to bleeding disorders or prothrombotic conditions. However, the thromboxane A2 receptor is also expressed in many other cell types and tissues and is thought to contribute to a broad range of other pathophysiological processes, such as pulmonary hypertension and cancer cell metastasis. In endothelial cells, the thromboxane A2 receptor is an important player in the pathogenesis of endothelial dysfunction, one of the main contributors to the development of hypertension and atherosclerosis-related diseases. In this review, we provide insight into the genomic structure and expression, protein structure and function of the thromboxane A2 receptor, with a particular focus on vascular (patho)physiology and recent findings regarding the involvement of thromboxane A2 receptor signaling in the pathogenesis of endothelial dysfunction and cardiovascular disease. In addition, we provide an overview of clinically relevant polymorphisms within the thromboxane A2 receptor gene (TBXA2R) and their influence on gene expression, protein structure, and receptor pathophysiology.