OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of transient receptor potential canonical channels (TRPCs) in the heart and kidney of rat model of obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). METHODS: Eighteen male SD rats were randomly assigned to intermittent hypoxia (IH) group (=9 ) and control group (=9). In IH group, rats were placed in a chamber and exposed to intermittent hypoxia for 8h (10AM-6PM) daily. The expression of TRPC-related mRNA and protein in the heart and kidney tissue were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively. RESULTS: The mRNA expressions of TRPC3/TRPC4/TRPC5 in heart tissues of IH group were increased significantly compared with the control group (all >0.05); while there were no significant differences in the mRNA expressions of TRPC1/TRPC3/TRPC4/TRPC5/TRPC6/TRPC7 in kidney tissue between two groups (all <0.05). The mRNA expressions of TRPC4, TRPC5 and TRPC6 in kidney tissues of IH group were lower than that in heart tissues (all <0.05). The mRNA expression of TRPC7 in kidney tissues of control group was significantly higher than that in heart tissues (<0.05). The expression of TRPC5 protein in heart tissues of IH group was significantly higher than that in the control group (<0.05); while there was no significant differences in the expression of TRPC5/TRPC6/TRPC7 protein in kidney tissue between two groups (all >0.05). CONCLUSIONS The IH rat model shows that TRPC5 channel is likely to be involved in the OSAHS induced pathophysiological changes in the myocardium and may become a target to prevent OSAHS related cardiac damage.