Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, posing considerable burdens on annual mortality, morbidity, and healthcare costs. The two branches of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), adrenergic and cholinergic, exert a multitude of effects on the heart and vasculature via activation of several receptors expressed on the plasma membranes of cardiac myocytes, cardiac fibroblasts, vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells, and even immune and fat cells residing in the myocardium or adjacent to blood vessels. In addition to the classic neurotransmitters acetylcholine and norepinephrine, several other neurotransmitters/hormones act as facilitators of ANS neurotransmission, taking part in the so-called non-adrenergic non-cholinergic (NANC) part of the ANS`s control of cardiovascular homeostasis. Cardiovascular ANS dysfunction and any imbalances among the activities of its various component systems underlie a variety of cardiovascular diseases, from heart failure and hypertension, to coronary artery disease, myocardial ischemia, and arrhythmias.

Given the central role of ANS in regulation of cardiovascular homeostasis and the importance of its dysfunction in the pathophysiology of various cardiovascular diseases, a more complete understanding of autonomic neurotransmission as it pertains to cardiovascular physiology is warranted. Uncovering novel receptors for autonomic neurotransmitters and elucidating novel signaling pathways utilized by these receptors, as well the impact they have on cardiac or vascular homeostasis are crucial in attaining more comprehensive insights into autonomic nervous system-modulated cardiovascular physiology. Finally, the reverse is equally important, as well: discovering novel effects of agents used for a variety of cardiovascular disorders, including medication classes only very recently incorporated into cardiology practice guidelines, like sodium/glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, glucagon-like peptide 1-receptor agonists (GLP-1 RA`s), etc., on autonomic neurotransmission to the heart and blood vessels. This will help advance the knowledge in the field of the systemic interconnections of the ANS with other hormonal and neurohumoral systems that also affect circulatory physiology and pathophysiology.

Original research articles, reviews and opinion articles are invited that pertain to topics including (but not limited to):

• Roles of non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic (NANC) neurotransmitters and their receptors in cardiovascular homeostasis regulation

• Impact of biased signaling of autonomic G protein-coupled receptors and other types of receptors on cardiovascular regulation

• Novel or “orphan” autonomic receptors and their roles in cardiovascular homeostasis

• Differential signaling among receptor subtypes of the same autonomic neurotransmitter (e.g., acetylcholine muscarinic receptors, norepinephrine adrenergic receptors) in relation to molecular physiology of the heart and blood vessels

• Impact of novel drug therapies, in particular anti-obesity or anti-diabetic medications that also work in the brain (e.g., GLP-1 receptor agonists), on autonomic neurotransmission to the heart and vasculature

• Autonomic modulation of other hormone systems affecting cardiovascular homeostasis (e.g., renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system-RAAS; endothelin system; kinin system; etc.)

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Autonomic Nervous System-targeting Therapies for Cardiovascular Diseases