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Lecchi G, Mocchetti C, Tunesi D, Berto A, Balasubramanian HB, Biswas S, Bagchi A, Pollastro F, Fresu LG, Talmon M. Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms of TAS2R46 Affect the Receptor Downstream Calcium Regulation in Histamine-Challenged Cells. Cells 2024; 13:1204. [PMID: 39056786 PMCID: PMC11275237 DOI: 10.3390/cells13141204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2024] [Revised: 07/02/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Bitter taste receptors (TAS2Rs) expressed in extraoral tissues represent a whole-body sensory system, whose role and mechanisms could be of interest for the identification of new therapeutic targets. It is known that TAS2R46s in pre-contracted airway smooth muscle cells increase mitochondrial calcium uptake, leading to bronchodilation, and that several SNPs have been identified in its gene sequence. There are very few reports on the structure-function analysis of TAS2Rs. Thus, we delved into the subject by using mutagenesis and in silico studies. We generated a cellular model that expresses native TAS2R46 to evaluate the influence of the four most common SNPs on calcium fluxes following the activation of the receptor by its specific ligand absinthin. Then, docking studies were conducted to correlate the calcium flux results to the structural mutation. The analysed SNPs differently modulate the TAS2R46 signal cascade according to the altered protein domain. In particular, the SNP in the sixth transmembrane domain of the receptors did not modulate calcium homeostasis, while the SNPs in the sequence coding for the fourth transmembrane domain completely abolished the mitochondrial calcium uptake. In conclusion, these results indicate the fourth transmembrane domain of TAS2R46 is critical for the intrinsic receptor activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Lecchi
- Department of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Via Solaroli, 17, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Chiara Mocchetti
- Department of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Via Solaroli, 17, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Davide Tunesi
- Department of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Via Solaroli, 17, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Arianna Berto
- Department of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Via Solaroli, 17, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Hari Baskar Balasubramanian
- Department of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Via Solaroli, 17, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Sima Biswas
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Kalyani, Kalyani 741235, West Bengal, India
| | - Angshuman Bagchi
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Kalyani, Kalyani 741235, West Bengal, India
| | - Federica Pollastro
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale, Largo Donegani 2, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Luigia Grazia Fresu
- Department of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Via Solaroli, 17, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Maria Talmon
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale, Largo Donegani 2, 28100 Novara, Italy
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Leite JMRS, Ribeiro A, Pereira JL, de Souza CA, Heider D, Soler JMP, Mingroni-Netto RC, Fisberg RM, Rogero MM, Sarti FM. Missense genetic variants in major bitter taste receptors are associated with diet quality and food intake in a highly admixed underrepresented population. Clin Nutr ESPEN 2024; 63:311-321. [PMID: 38964656 DOI: 10.1016/j.clnesp.2024.06.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2024] [Revised: 06/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS To investigate associations between Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in the TAS1R and TAS2R taste receptors and diet quality, intake of alcohol, added sugar, and fat, using linear regression and machine learning techniques in a highly admixed population. METHODS In the ISA-Capital health survey, 901 individuals were interviewed and had socioeconomic, demographic, health characteristics, along with dietary information obtained through two 24-h recalls. Data on 12 components related to food groups, nutrients, and calories was combined into a diet quality score (BHEI-R). BHEI-R, SoFAAs (calories from added sugar, saturated fat, and alcohol) and Alcohol use were tested for associations with 255 TAS2R SNPs and 73 TAS1R SNPs for 637 individuals with regression analysis and Random Forest. Significant SNPs were combined into Genetic taste scores (GTSs). RESULTS Among 23 SNPs significantly associated either by stepwise linear/logistic regression or random forest with any possible biological functionality, the missense variants rs149217752 in TAS2R40, for SoFAAs, and rs2233997 in TAS2R4, were associated with both BHEI-R (under 4% increase in Mean Squared Error) and SoFAAs. GTSs increased the variance explanation of quantitative phenotypes and there was a moderately high AUC for alcohol use. CONCLUSIONS The study provides insights into the genetic basis of human taste perception through the identification of missense variants in the TAS2R gene family. These findings may contribute to future strategies in precision nutrition aimed at improving food quality by reducing added sugar, saturated fat, and alcohol intake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Michel R S Leite
- Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Adèle Ribeiro
- Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, Philipps University of Marburg, Germany; Institute for Computer Science, Machine Learning for Medical Data, Heinrich-Heine University Dusseldorf, Germany
| | - Jaqueline L Pereira
- Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Dominik Heider
- Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, Philipps University of Marburg, Germany; Institute for Computer Science, Machine Learning for Medical Data, Heinrich-Heine University Dusseldorf, Germany
| | - Júlia M Pavan Soler
- Institute of Mathematics and Statistics, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Regina M Fisberg
- Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marcelo M Rogero
- Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Flavia M Sarti
- School of Arts, Sciences and Humanities, University of São Paulo, Brazil
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Łukasiewicz-Śmietańska D, Godlewski D, Nowakowska E, Szpak A, Chabros E, Juszczyk G, Charzewska J, Rybaczyk-Pathak D. Association of the bitter taste genes TAS2R38 and CA6 and breast cancer risk; a case-control study of Polish women in Poland and Polish immigrants in USA. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0300061. [PMID: 38687739 PMCID: PMC11060581 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0300061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
It is known that the perception of bitterness is mediated by type 2 bitter taste receptors (TAS2Rs). However, recent reports have suggested that the carbonic anhydrase 6 (CA6) gene may also influence bitterness sensing. Genetic variants in these genes could influence dietary intake of brassica vegetables, whose increased consumption has been observed in the literature, though inconsistently, to decrease breast cancer (BC) risk. We hypothesized that the estimated odds ratios (ORs) for the association between BC and taster diplotype (PAV/PAV) and/or genotype A/A, will be in the direction of increased BC risk, potentially due to reduced consumption of brassica vegetables. Using a case-control study of BC in Polish women in Poland (210 cases and 262 controls) and Polish immigrant women to USA (78 cases and 170 controls) we evaluated the association of the taster diplotypes in TAS2R38 gene and genotypes in the CA6 gene and BC risk in these two populations individually and jointly. No significant increase in risk was observed for the TAS2R38 PAV/PAV diplotype (tasters) in each population individually or in the joint population. For the CA6 gene, in the joint population, we observed an increased BC risk for the combined G/A and G/G genotypes (non-tasters) vs A/A (tasters), OR = 1.41 (95% CI 1.04-1.90, p = 0.026) which after adjustment for False Discovery Rate (FDR), was not significant at p≤0.05 level. However, for the joint population and for the combined genotype of the two genes AVI/AVI+G* (non-tasters) vs. PAV/*+A/A (tasters), we observed a significant increase in BC risk, OR = 1.77 (95%CI 1.47-2.74, p = 0.01), for the non-tasters, which remained significant after FDR adjustment. In conclusion for the joint population and the joint effect for the two bitter sensing genes, we observed an increase in BC risk for the bitterness non-tasters, association which is in the opposite direction to our original hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorota Łukasiewicz-Śmietańska
- Department of Nutrition and Nutritional Value of Food, National Institute of Public Health NIH- National Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland
| | | | | | | | | | - Grzegorz Juszczyk
- National Institute of Public Health NIH- National Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Jadwiga Charzewska
- Department of Nutrition and Nutritional Value of Food, National Institute of Public Health NIH- National Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Dorothy Rybaczyk-Pathak
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States of America
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4
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Sequeira JJ, Nizamuddin S, van Driem G, Mustak MS. TAS2R38 bitter taste perception in the Koṅkaṇī Sārasvata Brahmin population. Genes Genomics 2023; 45:1409-1422. [PMID: 37336804 DOI: 10.1007/s13258-023-01409-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The TAS2R38 gene carries markers for phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) sensitivity. Various studies have investigated the genotype-phenotype association pattern for bitter tasting ability and other factors in different populations. However, a paucity of such information for endogamous Indian populations is the reason behind this study. OBJECTIVE To study the association of phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) sensitivity with TAS2R38 gene variations in Koṅkaṇī Sārasvata Brahmin population. METHODS We studied the association of the alleles rs714598, rs1726866, rs10246939 with PTC sensitivity and other factors in the Koṅkaṇī Sārasvata Brahmin population. DNA was extracted from 114 individuals belonging to the Koṅkaṇī Sārasvata Brahmin community. The TAS2R38 gene was sequenced to find the genotype distribution pattern. The association between genotype and phenotype was checked using the Chi-Square test and multifactorial logistical regression. RESULTS We observed a 58.8% frequency of the AVI haplotype, which is the most prevalent in European populations. A higher number of non-taster haplotypes and diplotypes were observed in Koṅkaṇī Sārasvata Brahmins, with the allele rs10246939 showing a significant association with PTC bitter taste sensitivity in both allelic (p = 8.6 × 10-4; Allele-G, OR = 3.57 [95% CI = 1.66-7.69]) and genotype-based (p = 6.9 × 10-4; genotype-AG, OR = 3.11 [95% CI = 0.73-13.20]; genotype-GG, OR = 40 [95% CI = 3.58-447.03]) tests. CONCLUSION Our results are in line with earlier studies, which report an association between PTC sensitivity and the TAS2R38 gene in different populations. In the global context, Koṅkaṇī Sārasvata Brahmins, who are mostly distributed along the southwestern coast of India, show a PTC sensitivity pattern slightly similar to that of West Eurasian populations. Our findings suggest ancestry specific selection in TAS2R38 gene variations for taste sensitivity at global level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaison Jeevan Sequeira
- Department of Applied Zoology, Mangalore University, Mangalagangotri, Mangaluru, 574199, India
| | - Sheikh Nizamuddin
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) Partner Site Freiburg, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Urology, Medical Center-University of Freiburg, 79016, Freiburg, Germany
| | - George van Driem
- Institut für Sprachwissenschaft, Universität Bern, Länggassstrasse 49, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Mohammed S Mustak
- Department of Applied Zoology, Mangalore University, Mangalagangotri, Mangaluru, 574199, India.
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Aoki K, Mori K, Iijima S, Sakon M, Matsuura N, Kobayashi T, Takanashi M, Yoshimura T, Mori N, Katayama T. Association between Genetic Variation in the TAS2R38 Bitter Taste Receptor and Propylthiouracil Bitter Taste Thresholds among Adults Living in Japan Using the Modified 2AFC Procedure with the Quest Method. Nutrients 2023; 15:2415. [PMID: 37242298 PMCID: PMC10222862 DOI: 10.3390/nu15102415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Individual taste sensitivity influences food preferences, nutritional control, and health, and differs greatly between individuals. The purpose of this study was to establish a method of measuring and quantifying an individual's taste sensitivity and to evaluate the relationship between taste variation and genetic polymorphisms in humans using agonist specificities of the bitter taste receptor gene, TAS2R38, with the bitter compound 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP). We precisely detected the threshold of PROP bitter perception by conducting the modified two-alternative forced-choice (2AFC) procedure with the Bayesian staircase procedure of the QUEST method and examined genetic variation in TAS2R38 in a Japanese population. There were significant differences in PROP threshold between the three TAS2R38 genotype pairs for 79 subjects: PAV/PAV vs AVI/AVI, p < 0.001; PAV/AVI vs AVI/AVI, p < 0.001; and PAV/PAV vs PAV/AVI, p < 0.01. Our results quantified individual bitter perception as QUEST threshold values: the PROP bitter perception of individuals with the PAV/PAV or PAV/AVI genotypes was tens to fifty times more sensitive than that of an individual with the AVI/AVI genotype. Our analyses provide a basic model for the accurate estimation of taste thresholds using the modified 2AFC with the QUEST approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyoko Aoki
- Department of Advanced Medical Treatment & Nutritional Science, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871, Osaka, Japan; (K.M.); (N.M.); (T.K.)
| | - Kanetaka Mori
- Department of Advanced Medical Treatment & Nutritional Science, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871, Osaka, Japan; (K.M.); (N.M.); (T.K.)
- Division of Math, Sciences, and Information Technology in Education, Osaka Kyoiku University, Kashiwara 582-8582, Osaka, Japan
| | - Shohei Iijima
- Osaka Prefectural Hospital Organization, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Chuo-ku 541-8567, Osaka, Japan; (S.I.); (M.S.)
| | - Masato Sakon
- Osaka Prefectural Hospital Organization, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Chuo-ku 541-8567, Osaka, Japan; (S.I.); (M.S.)
| | - Nariaki Matsuura
- Department of Advanced Medical Treatment & Nutritional Science, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871, Osaka, Japan; (K.M.); (N.M.); (T.K.)
- Osaka Prefectural Hospital Organization, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Chuo-ku 541-8567, Osaka, Japan; (S.I.); (M.S.)
| | | | | | - Takeshi Yoshimura
- Department of Child Development and Molecular Brain Science, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871, Osaka, Japan
| | - Norio Mori
- Department of Advanced Medical Treatment & Nutritional Science, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871, Osaka, Japan; (K.M.); (N.M.); (T.K.)
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurology, Fukude Nishi Hospital, Iwata 437-1216, Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Taiichi Katayama
- Department of Advanced Medical Treatment & Nutritional Science, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871, Osaka, Japan; (K.M.); (N.M.); (T.K.)
- Department of Child Development and Molecular Brain Science, United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871, Osaka, Japan
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Wickham RJ, Adams W, Hawker MJ. The COVID-19 and Taste Lab: A Mini Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience on Taste Differences and COVID-19 Susceptibility. JOURNAL OF UNDERGRADUATE NEUROSCIENCE EDUCATION : JUNE : A PUBLICATION OF FUN, FACULTY FOR UNDERGRADUATE NEUROSCIENCE 2023; 21:A97-A107. [PMID: 37588646 PMCID: PMC10426818 DOI: 10.59390/fdma5232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Traditional course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) are common approaches to expose students to authentic laboratory practices. Traditional CUREs typically take up most of or an entire semester, require a laboratory section or may be a standalone lab course, and require significant financial and time commitments by the institution and instructors. As such, CUREs are harder to implement at institutions with fewer resources. Here, we developed a mini-CURE, which are typically shorter in duration, called the COVID-19 and Taste Lab (CT-LAB). The CT-LAB requires significantly fewer resources ($0.05/student) and time commitment (two class periods) than traditional CUREs. CT-LAB centers around the biological relationship between COVID-19 susceptibility and taste status (non-taster, taster, and supertaster) as well as potential implications for public policy behavior. Students participated in a class-wide study where they examined if taste status was related to COVID-19 susceptibility. They found that non-tasters had a higher likelihood of testing positive previously for COVID-19 compared to tasters and supertasters. To assess student outcomes of this CURE, students completed a pre- and post-test assessment including a content test, STEM identity survey, taste test, COVID-19 history test, and a modified CURE survey. Content test scores improved while STEM identity and attitudes about science were unchanged. A direct comparison to a repository of traditional CUREs shows that the CT-LAB produced comparable benefits to traditional CUREs primarily in skills that were particularly relevant for the CT-LAB. This work suggests that mini-CUREs, even as brief as two class periods, could be a way to improve student outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Walter Adams
- Department of Biological Sciences, San José State University, San José, CA 95192
| | - Morgan J. Hawker
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry California State University - Fresno, Fresno, CA 93740
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7
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Doyle ME, Premathilake HU, Yao Q, Mazucanti CH, Egan JM. Physiology of the tongue with emphasis on taste transduction. Physiol Rev 2023; 103:1193-1246. [PMID: 36422992 PMCID: PMC9942923 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00012.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The tongue is a complex multifunctional organ that interacts and senses both interoceptively and exteroceptively. Although it is easily visible to almost all of us, it is relatively understudied and what is in the literature is often contradictory or is not comprehensively reported. The tongue is both a motor and a sensory organ: motor in that it is required for speech and mastication, and sensory in that it receives information to be relayed to the central nervous system pertaining to the safety and quality of the contents of the oral cavity. Additionally, the tongue and its taste apparatus form part of an innate immune surveillance system. For example, loss or alteration in taste perception can be an early indication of infection as became evident during the present global SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Here, we particularly emphasize the latest updates in the mechanisms of taste perception, taste bud formation and adult taste bud renewal, and the presence and effects of hormones on taste perception, review the understudied lingual immune system with specific reference to SARS-CoV-2, discuss nascent work on tongue microbiome, as well as address the effect of systemic disease on tongue structure and function, especially in relation to taste.
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Affiliation(s)
- Máire E Doyle
- Diabetes Section/Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Hasitha U Premathilake
- Diabetes Section/Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Qin Yao
- Diabetes Section/Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Caio H Mazucanti
- Diabetes Section/Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Josephine M Egan
- Diabetes Section/Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland
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Naciri LC, Mastinu M, Crnjar R, Barbarossa IT, Melis M. Automated identification of the genetic variants of TAS2R38 bitter taste receptor with supervised learning. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2023; 21:1054-1065. [PMID: 38213886 PMCID: PMC10782009 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2023.01.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Several studies were focused on the genetic ability to taste the bitter compound 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) to assess the inter-individual taste variability in humans, and its effect on food predilections, nutrition, and health. PROP taste sensitivity and that of other chemical molecules throughout the body are mediated by the bitter receptor TAS2R38, and their variability is significantly associated with TAS2R38 genetic variants. We recently automatically identified PROP phenotypes with high precision using Machine Learning (mL). Here we have used Supervised Learning (SL) algorithms to automatically identify TAS2R38 genotypes by using the biological features of eighty-four participants. The catBoost algorithm was the best-suited model for the automatic discrimination of the genotypes. It allowed us to automatically predict the identification of genotypes and precisely define the effectiveness and impact of each feature. The ratings of perceived intensity for PROP solutions (0.32 and 0.032 mM) and medium taster (MT) category were the most important features in training the model and understanding the difference between genotypes. Our findings suggest that SL may represent a trustworthy and objective tool for identifying TAS2R38 variants which, reducing the costs and times of molecular analysis, can find wide application in taste physiology and medicine studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lala Chaimae Naciri
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Monserrato, CA 09042, Italy
| | - Mariano Mastinu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Monserrato, CA 09042, Italy
| | - Roberto Crnjar
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Monserrato, CA 09042, Italy
| | | | - Melania Melis
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Monserrato, CA 09042, Italy
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9
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Wang X, Wang L, Xia M, Teng F, Chen X, Huang R, Zhou J, Xiao J, Zhai L. Variations in the TAS2R38 gene among college students in Hubei. Hereditas 2022; 159:46. [PMID: 36529808 PMCID: PMC9762079 DOI: 10.1186/s41065-022-00260-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The bitter taste receptor gene TAS2R38 is a member of the human TAS2R gene family. Polymorphisms in TAS2R38 affect the ability to taste the bitterness of phenylthiourea (PTC) compounds, thus affecting an individual's food preference and health status. METHODS We investigated polymorphisms in the TAS2R38 gene and the sensitivity to PTC bitterness among healthy Chinese college students in Hubei province. The association of TAS2R38 polymorphisms and PTC sensitivity with body mass index (BMI), food preference, and health status was also analyzed. A total of 320 healthy college students were enrolled (male: 133, female: 187; aged 18-23 years). The threshold value method was used to measure the perception of PTC bitterness, and a questionnaire was used to analyze dietary preferences and health status. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to analyze polymorphisms at three common TAS2R38 loci (rs713598, rs1726866, and rs10246939). RESULTS In our study population, 65.00% of individuals had medium sensitivity to the bitterness of PTC; in contrast, 20.94% were highly sensitive to PTC bitterness, and 14.06% were not sensitive. For the TAS2R38 gene, the PAV/PAV and PAV/AAI diplotypes were the most common (42.19% and 40.63%, respectively), followed by the homozygous AVI/AVI (8.75%) and PAV/AVI (5.00%) diplotypes. CONCLUSION There was a significant correlation between the sensitivity to PTC bitterness and sex, but there was no correlation between the common diplotypes of TAS2R38 and gender. Polymorphisms in the TAS2R38 gene were associated with the preference for tea, but not with one's native place, BMI, health status, or other dietary preferences. There was no significant correlation between the perception of PTC bitterness and one's native place, BMI, dietary preference, or health status. We hope to find out the relationship between PTC sensitivity and TAS2R38 gene polymorphisms and dietary preference and health status of Chinese population through this study, providing relevant guidance and suggestions for dietary guidance and prevention of some chronic diseases in Chinese population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojun Wang
- grid.412979.00000 0004 1759 225XSchool of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, 441053 China
| | - Lin Wang
- grid.412979.00000 0004 1759 225XXiangyang Stomatological Hospital, Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Hubei University of Arts and Science, 441003 Xiangyang, China
| | - Mengwei Xia
- grid.412979.00000 0004 1759 225XSchool of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, 441053 China
| | - Feng Teng
- grid.412979.00000 0004 1759 225XSchool of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, 441053 China
| | - Xuejiao Chen
- grid.412979.00000 0004 1759 225XSchool of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, 441053 China
| | - Rufeng Huang
- grid.412979.00000 0004 1759 225XSchool of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, 441053 China
| | - Jiahao Zhou
- grid.412979.00000 0004 1759 225XSchool of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, 441053 China
| | - Juan Xiao
- grid.412979.00000 0004 1759 225XSchool of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, 441053 China
| | - Lihong Zhai
- grid.412979.00000 0004 1759 225XSchool of Basic Medicine, Hubei University of Arts and Science, Xiangyang, 441053 China
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Qi FY, Zhu ZH, Li M, Guan Y, Peng QY, Lu SM, Liu ZH, Wang MF, Miao MM, Chen ZY, Li XM, Bai J, Yao JH, Yao J. Genetic variations in the bitter taste receptor gene TAS2R38 are related to cigarette smoking behavior in Han Chinese smokers. Genes Genomics 2022; 44:1363-1374. [PMID: 36125655 DOI: 10.1007/s13258-022-01311-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Smoking behavior is influenced by multiple genes, including the bitter taste gene TAS2R38. It has been reported that the correlation between TAS2R38 and smoking behavior has ethnicity-based differences. However, the TAS2R38 status in Chinese smokers is still unclear. OBJECTIVE This study aims to investigate the possible relationship between genetic variations in TAS2R38 (A49P, V262A and I296V) and smoking behaviors in the Han Chinese population. METHODS The haplotype analyses were performed and smoking behavior questionnaire was completed by 1271 individuals. Genetic association analyses for smoking behavior were analyzed using chi-square test. Further, for investigating the molecular mechanism of TAS2R38 variants effect on smoking behavior, we conducted TAS2R38-PAV and TAS2R38-AVI expression plasmids and tested the cellular calcium assay by cigarette smoke compounds stimulus in HEK293. RESULTS Significant associations of genetic variants within TAS2R38 were identified with smoking behavior. We found a higher PAV/PAV frequency than AVI/AVI in moderate and high nicotine dependence (FTND ≥ 4; X2 = 4.611, 1 df, p = 0.032) and strong cigarette smoke flavor intensity preference (X2 = 4.5383, 1 df, p = 0.033) in participants. Furthermore, in the in vitro cellular calcium assay, total particle matter (TPM), N-formylnornicotine and cotinine, existing in cigarette smoke, activated TAS2R38-PAV but not TAS2R38-AVI-transfected cells. CONCLUSION Our data highlights that genetic variations in TAS2R38 are related to smoking behavior, especially nicotine dependence and cigarette smoke flavor intensity preference. Our findings may encourage further consideration of the taste process to identify individuals susceptible to nicotine dependence, particularly Han Chinese smokers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei-Yan Qi
- Joint Institute of Tobacco and Health, Kunming, 650106, Yunnan, China
| | - Zhou-Hai Zhu
- Joint Institute of Tobacco and Health, Kunming, 650106, Yunnan, China
| | - Meng Li
- Joint Institute of Tobacco and Health, Kunming, 650106, Yunnan, China
| | - Ying Guan
- Joint Institute of Tobacco and Health, Kunming, 650106, Yunnan, China
| | - Qi-Yuan Peng
- Joint Institute of Tobacco and Health, Kunming, 650106, Yunnan, China
| | - She-Ming Lu
- Joint Institute of Tobacco and Health, Kunming, 650106, Yunnan, China
| | - Zhi-Hua Liu
- Joint Institute of Tobacco and Health, Kunming, 650106, Yunnan, China
| | - Ming-Feng Wang
- Joint Institute of Tobacco and Health, Kunming, 650106, Yunnan, China
| | - Ming-Ming Miao
- Joint Institute of Tobacco and Health, Kunming, 650106, Yunnan, China
| | - Zhang-Yu Chen
- Joint Institute of Tobacco and Health, Kunming, 650106, Yunnan, China
| | - Xue-Mei Li
- Joint Institute of Tobacco and Health, Kunming, 650106, Yunnan, China
| | - Jie Bai
- Medical Faculty, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, 650500, China
| | - Jian-Hua Yao
- Joint Institute of Tobacco and Health, Kunming, 650106, Yunnan, China.
| | - Jianhua Yao
- Joint Institute of Tobacco and Health, Kunming, 650106, Yunnan, China
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Giaccherini M, Rizzato C, Gentiluomo M, Lupetti A, Flores-Luna L, Vivas J, Bravo MM, Kasamatsu E, Muñoz N, Canzian F, Kato I, Campa D. TAS2R38 polymorphisms, Helicobacter pylori infection and susceptibility to gastric cancer and premalignant gastric lesions. Eur J Cancer Prev 2022; 31:401-407. [PMID: 34653070 PMCID: PMC8995393 DOI: 10.1097/cej.0000000000000722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gastric cancer is worldwide the fourth more common cancer type by incidence, and the third by mortality. We analyzed three missense variants of TAS2R38 gene: rs713598 (A49P), rs1726866 (V262A), and rs10246939 (I296V). These variants and their combination in haplotypes (proline, alanine and valine/tasters or alanine, valine and isoleucine/nontasters) and diplotypes are responsible for individual differences in bitter perception. The single-nucleotide polymorphisms and the related phenotypes are known to be associated with susceptibility to Gram-negative bacterial infections, such as Helicobacter pylori , and with risk of various cancer types. An association between intermediate tasters (as defined by TAS2R38 diplotypes) and increased risk of gastric cancer was reported in a Korean population. METHODS We analyzed 2616 individuals of Latin American origin, representing the whole spectrum of lesions from gastritis to gastric cancer. RESULTS Comparing cancer cases vs. noncancers we observed a decrease in risk associated with heterozygous carriers of rs10246939 ( P = 0.006) and rs1726866 ( P = 0.003) when compared with homozygotes of the more common allele. Also, the analysis of diplotypes/phenotypes reflected the same association, with super-tasters showing a borderline increased risk of developing gastric cancer compared to medium-tasters [odds ratio (OR) = 1.63; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.04-2.56; P = 0.033]. Also, nontasters showed an increased risk when compared to medium-tasters although not reaching statistical significance (OR = 1.58; 95% CI, 0.80-2.87; P = 0.203). We also tested the interactions between the TAS2R38 genotypes and H. pylori cagA status in a subset of samples and found no interaction. CONCLUSION In conclusion, our results suggest only a modest contribution of TAS2R38 gene genetic variability in gastric cancer etiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Giaccherini
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
- Genomic Epidemiology Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Cosmeri Rizzato
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | | | - Antonella Lupetti
- Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Lourdes Flores-Luna
- Center for Public Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
| | - Jorge Vivas
- Cancer Control Center of the Tachira State, San Cristobal, Venezuela
| | - Maria Mercedes Bravo
- Grupo de Investigación en Biología del Cáncer, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Elena Kasamatsu
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencias de la Salud, National University of Asunción, Asunción, Paraguay
| | - Nubia Muñoz
- Cancer Institute of Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Federico Canzian
- Genomic Epidemiology Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ikuko Kato
- Department of Oncology and Pathology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA
| | - Daniele Campa
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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12
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Trius-Soler M, Bersano-Reyes PA, Góngora C, Lamuela-Raventós RM, Nieto G, Moreno JJ. Association of phenylthiocarbamide perception with anthropometric variables and intake and liking for bitter vegetables. GENES & NUTRITION 2022; 17:12. [PMID: 35896963 PMCID: PMC9331802 DOI: 10.1186/s12263-022-00715-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) sensitivity, a sensory trait mediated by the bitter taste receptor 38 (TAS2R38), has been described as a promising biomarker of health status or disease risk. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the influence of PTC phenotypes on (1) individual anthropometric and clinical history variables; (2) other basic taste recognition thresholds (RTs), and (3) the hedonic perception and habitual intake of Brassicaceae vegetables in a young adult population (18.9 ± 1.7 years old). The PTC phenotype was determined by the quantitative measure of the PTC recognition threshold (non-tasters, 24.1%; tasters, 52.3%; and super tasters, 23.6%). No significant differences in smoking habits, oral and nasal disorders, family antecedents of diseases related to metabolic syndrome, and Brassicaceae vegetable hedonic perception and consumption were found between the PTC phenotype groups. The average BMI of super-taster females and males was significantly lower compared to non-tasters. In addition, the PTC taster status was a predictor of lower scores for other basic taste RTs. Overall, the defined PTC super-taster cohort could be differentiated from the non-tasters by variables related to weight control such as BMI and sucrose RT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Trius-Soler
- Department of Nutrition, Food Sciences and Gastronomy, XIA, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
- INSA-UB, Instituto de Investigación en Nutrición y Seguridad Alimentaria, Universidad de Barcelona, 08921, Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Spain
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - Paz A Bersano-Reyes
- Department of Food Technology, Food Science and Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", Espinardo, 30071, Murcia, Spain
| | - Clara Góngora
- Department of Nutrition, Food Sciences and Gastronomy, XIA, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rosa M Lamuela-Raventós
- Department of Nutrition, Food Sciences and Gastronomy, XIA, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
- INSA-UB, Instituto de Investigación en Nutrición y Seguridad Alimentaria, Universidad de Barcelona, 08921, Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Spain
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain
| | - Gema Nieto
- Department of Food Technology, Food Science and Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Regional Campus of International Excellence "Campus Mare Nostrum", Espinardo, 30071, Murcia, Spain
| | - Juan J Moreno
- Department of Nutrition, Food Sciences and Gastronomy, XIA, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, University of Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
- INSA-UB, Instituto de Investigación en Nutrición y Seguridad Alimentaria, Universidad de Barcelona, 08921, Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Spain.
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain.
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13
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Hayes JE, Baker AN. Flavor science in the context of research on electronic cigarettes. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:918082. [PMID: 35968379 PMCID: PMC9365686 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.918082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Thousands start smoking or vaping daily, despite long-standing efforts by public health authorities to curb initiation and use of nicotine containing products. Over the last 15 years, use of electronic nicotine delivery systems has increased dramatically, with a diverse range of products on the market, including pod-based, disposable, and refillable electronic cigarettes (eCigs). Originally intended for harm reduction and smoking cessation, eCigs may encourage nicotine use among never smokers, given the vast range of appealing flavors that are available. To better understand abuse liability and to facilitate appropriate regulations, it is crucial to understand the science of flavor, and flavor perception within the context of eCig use. Here, we (a) provide a brief primer on chemosensory perception and flavor science for addiction and nicotine researchers, and (b) highlight existing some literature regarding flavor and nicotine use, with specific attention given to individual differences in perception, and interaction between different sensory modalities that contribute to flavor. Dramatic increases in use of eCigs highlights the importance of flavor science in contemporary addiction research, both with regards to public health and regulatory efforts. Other recent work summarizes findings on flavored e-liquids and eCig use, but none have focused explicitly on chemosensory processes or flavor perception as they relate to appeal and use of such products. We argue flavor science needs to be considered as perceptual and behavioral phenomena, and not merely from analytical, toxicological and pharmacological perspectives; we help address this gap here.
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Affiliation(s)
- John E. Hayes
- Sensory Evaluation Center, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, United States
- Department of Food Science, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, United States
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, United States
| | - Allison N. Baker
- Sensory Evaluation Center, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, United States
- Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Huck Institutes of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, United States
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14
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Alsaafin A, Chenoweth MJA, Sylvestre MP, O'Loughlin J, Tyndale RF. Does genetic variation in a bitter taste receptor gene alter early smoking behaviours in adolescents and young adults? Addiction 2022; 117:2037-2046. [PMID: 35293057 DOI: 10.1111/add.15871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Variation in the TAS2R38 taste receptor gene alters the ability to taste bitter compounds. We tested whether TAS2R38 variation influences early smoking behaviours in adolescence, a critical period of acquisition when taste may influence the natural course of tobacco use. DESIGN AND PARTICIPANTS Observational study (Nicotine Dependence in Teens [NDIT]). Cox proportional hazards models were conducted using data from European ancestry adolescent participants who initiated smoking during follow-up (n = 219, i.e. incident smokers). In young adulthood, cross-sectional analyses were restricted to European ancestry self-reported current smokers at age 24 (n = 148). SETTING Montréal, Canada. MEASUREMENTS In adolescents, the rates of attaining early smoking milestones were estimated for tasters {PAV diplotypes (i.e. PAV/PAV or PAV/AVI)} versus non-tasters {AVI diplotype (i.e. AVI/AVI)}. In young adults, associations between tasting status and a nicotine intake biomarker (cotinine + 3'hydroxycotinine) and past-week cigarette consumption were assessed. FINDINGS Among incident smokers, similar rates to first whole cigarette were found between the diplotype groups (hazard ratio [HR], 1.05; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.75-1.48; P = 0.765). However, smokers with the PAV (vs AVI) diplotypes attained monthly smoking more rapidly (HR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.04-2.32; P = 0.033) and had faster conversion to three different measures of tobacco dependence (International Classification of Diseases: HR, 2.29; 95% CI, 0.99-5.28; P = 0.052; modified Fagerström Tolerance Questionnaire: HR, 3.02, 95% CI, 1.04-8.79; P = 0.043; Hooked on Nicotine Checklist: HR, 1.87; 95% CI, 0.98-3.60; P = 0.059). At age 24, those with PAV (vs AVI) diplotypes had higher mean cotinine + 3'hydroxycotinine (197 vs 143 ng/mL; P = 0.053). CONCLUSIONS Adolescents with a genetic variation increasing their ability to taste bitter compounds appear to escalate more quickly to monthly smoking and tobacco dependence during adolescence and have higher nicotine intake in young adulthood versus those without that genetic variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alaa Alsaafin
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Meghan Jo-Ann Chenoweth
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Marie-Pierre Sylvestre
- Centre de recherche du centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montréal, QC, Canada.,Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Jennifer O'Loughlin
- Centre de recherche du centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CRCHUM), Montréal, QC, Canada.,Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Rachel Fynvola Tyndale
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Campbell Family Mental Health Research Institute, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.,Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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15
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Wooding SP, Ramirez VA, Behrens M. Bitter taste receptors: Genes, evolution and health. Evol Med Public Health 2022; 9:431-447. [PMID: 35154779 PMCID: PMC8830313 DOI: 10.1093/emph/eoab031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Bitter taste perception plays vital roles in animal behavior and fitness. By signaling the presence of toxins in foods, particularly noxious defense compounds found in plants, it enables animals to avoid exposure. In vertebrates, bitter perception is initiated by TAS2Rs, a family of G protein-coupled receptors expressed on the surface of taste buds. There, oriented toward the interior of the mouth, they monitor the contents of foods, drinks and other substances as they are ingested. When bitter compounds are encountered, TAS2Rs respond by triggering neural pathways leading to sensation. The importance of this role placed TAS2Rs under selective pressures in the course of their evolution, leaving signatures in patterns of gene gain and loss, sequence polymorphism, and population structure consistent with vertebrates' diverse feeding ecologies. The protective value of bitter taste is reduced in modern humans because contemporary food supplies are safe and abundant. However, this is not always the case. Some crops, particularly in the developing world, retain surprisingly high toxicity and bitterness remains an important measure of safety. Bitter perception also shapes health through its influence on preference driven behaviors such as diet choice, alcohol intake and tobacco use. Further, allelic variation in TAS2Rs is extensive, leading to individual differences in taste sensitivity that drive these behaviors, shaping susceptibility to disease. Thus, bitter taste perception occupies a critical intersection between ancient evolutionary processes and modern human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen P Wooding
- Department of Anthropology and Health Sciences Research Institute, University of California, Merced, CA, USA
| | - Vicente A Ramirez
- Department of Public Health, University of California, Merced, CA, USA
| | - Maik Behrens
- Maik Behrens, Leibniz-Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
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16
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Naciri LC, Mastinu M, Crnjar R, Tomassini Barbarossa I, Melis M. Automated Classification of 6-n-Propylthiouracil Taster Status with Machine Learning. Nutrients 2022; 14:252. [PMID: 35057433 PMCID: PMC8778915 DOI: 10.3390/nu14020252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Revised: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Several studies have used taste sensitivity to 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) to evaluate interindividual taste variability and its impact on food preferences, nutrition, and health. We used a supervised learning (SL) approach for the automatic identification of the PROP taster categories (super taster (ST); medium taster (MT); and non-taster (NT)) of 84 subjects (aged 18-40 years). Biological features determined from subjects were included for the training system. Results showed that SL enables the automatic identification of objective PROP taster status, with high precision (97%). The biological features were classified in order of importance in facilitating learning and as prediction factors. The ratings of perceived taste intensity for PROP paper disks (50 mM) and PROP solution (3.2 mM), along with fungiform papilla density, were the most important features, and high estimated values pushed toward ST prediction, while low values leaned toward NT prediction. Furthermore, TAS2R38 genotypes were significant features (AVI/AVI, PAV/PAV, and PAV/AVI to classify NTs, STs, and MTs, respectively). These results, in showing that the SL approach enables an automatic, immediate, scalable, and high-precision classification of PROP taster status, suggest that it may represent an objective and reliable tool in taste physiology studies, with applications ranging from basic science and medicine to food sciences.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Iole Tomassini Barbarossa
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Monserrato, 09042 Cagliari, Italy; (L.C.N.); (M.M.); (R.C.); (M.M.)
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17
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Bagdas D, Rupprecht LE, Nunes EJ, Schillinger E, Immanuel JJ, Addy NA. Evaluation of Flavor Effects on Oral Nicotine Liking and/or Disliking Using the Taste Reactivity Test in Rats. Nicotine Tob Res 2021; 24:753-760. [PMID: 34918123 DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntab241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Tobacco product flavors may change the sensory properties of nicotine, such as taste and olfactory cues, which may alter nicotine reward and aversion and nicotine taking behavior. The hedonic or aversive value of a taste stimulus can be evaluated by examining affective orofacial movements in rodents. AIMS AND METHODS We characterized taste responses to various oral nicotine concentrations using the taste reactivity test in rats. We also evaluated the impact of menthol and benzaldehyde (cherry, almond) flavorants on both ingestive and aversive responses to oral nicotine. Adult Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 5-10 per sex per group) were implanted with intraoral catheters and received 20 infusions (200 µl/ea). Nicotine (1-100 µg/mL) was evaluated in taste reactivity test to determine taste responses to nicotine. Later, the effects of menthol (50 µg/mL) and benzaldehyde (100 µg/mL) on the taste responses to nicotine were determined. RESULTS Nicotine at low concentrations (3 µg/mL in males, 1 µg/mL in females) elicited significantly greater ingestive responses compared with water, whereas higher nicotine concentrations (≥30 µg/mL in males, ≥10 µg/mL in females) elicited significant aversive reactions. Thus, intraoral nicotine induced both hedonic and aversive responses in a concentration- and sex-dependent manner. Females were more sensitive to nicotine's concentration. The addition of menthol or benzaldehyde significantly increased the hedonic responses to nicotine, and significantly decreased the aversive nicotine responses. CONCLUSIONS Oral nicotine induces both hedonic and aversive taste responses, which may represent liking and disliking. Menthol and benzaldehyde can alter the orosensory experience of nicotine, which may influence nicotine's abuse liability. IMPLICATIONS Our work represents a model to study impact of flavors on oral nicotine liking and disliking responses in rats. Moreover, our findings show that menthol and benzaldehyde alter the orosensory experience of nicotine, suggesting that both could influence nicotine's abuse liability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deniz Bagdas
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.,Yale Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science, Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Laura E Rupprecht
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.,Yale Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science, Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Eric J Nunes
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.,Yale Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science, Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Emma Schillinger
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Judah J Immanuel
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Nii A Addy
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.,Yale Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science, Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.,Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.,Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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18
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Abstract
Bitter taste-sensing type 2 receptors (TAS2Rs or T2Rs), belonging to the subgroup of family A G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), are of crucial importance in the perception of bitterness. Although in the first instance, TAS2Rs were considered to be exclusively distributed in the apical microvilli of taste bud cells, numerous studies have detected these sensory receptor proteins in several extra-oral tissues, such as in pancreatic or ovarian tissues, as well as in their corresponding malignancies. Critical points of extra-oral TAS2Rs biology, such as their structure, roles, signaling transduction pathways, extensive mutational polymorphism, and molecular evolution, have been currently broadly studied. The TAS2R cascade, for instance, has been recently considered to be a pivotal modulator of a number of (patho)physiological processes, including adipogenesis or carcinogenesis. The latest advances in taste receptor biology further raise the possibility of utilizing TAS2Rs as a therapeutic target or as an informative index to predict treatment responses in various disorders. Thus, the focus of this review is to provide an update on the expression and molecular basis of TAS2Rs functions in distinct extra-oral tissues in health and disease. We shall also discuss the therapeutic potential of novel TAS2Rs targets, which are appealing due to their ligand selectivity, expression pattern, or pharmacological profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamila Tuzim
- Department of Clinical Pathomorphology, Medical University of Lublin, ul. Jaczewskiego 8b, 20-090, Lublin, Poland.
| | - Agnieszka Korolczuk
- Department of Clinical Pathomorphology, Medical University of Lublin, ul. Jaczewskiego 8b, 20-090, Lublin, Poland
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19
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Berube L, Duffy VB, Hayes JE, Hoffman HJ, Rawal S. Associations between chronic cigarette smoking and taste function: Results from the 2013-2014 national health and nutrition examination survey. Physiol Behav 2021; 240:113554. [PMID: 34375623 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2021.113554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
We identified associations between cigarette-smoking and taste function in the U.S. NHANES 2013-2014. Adults ≥ 40 years (n = 2849, nearly half former or current smokers) rated whole-mouth and tongue-tip bitter (1 mM quinine) and salt (1 M NaCl, 0.32 M NaCl) intensities and reported smoking history (pack years, PY), dependence (time to first cigarette, TTFC) and menthol/non-menthol use. Perceived intensity on the tongue-tip averaged just below moderate for quinine and moderate to strong for 1 M NaCl. Current chronic smokers (≥ 20 PY) reported lower bitter and salty intensities on the tongue-tip (β: -2.0, 95% CI: -3.7 to -0.4 and β: -3.6, 95% CI: -6.9 to -0.3, respectively) than never smokers. Similarly, compared to never smokers, dependent current smokers (TTFC ≤ 30 min) and dependent chronic smokers (≥ 20 PY, TTFC ≤ 30 min) rated less bitter (β: -2.0, 95% CI: -4.0 to 0.1 and β: -2.9, 95% CI: -4.5 to -1.3, respectively) and salty (β: -5.3, 95% CI: -9.3 to -1.4 and β: -4.7, 95% CI: -8.6 to -0.7, respectively) intensities on the tongue-tip. Depressed tongue-tip intensity in dependent smokers (with/without chronicity) versus never smokers was significant in younger (40-65 years), but not older (> 65 years) adults. Former smokers, non-chronic/less dependent smokers, and menthol smokers were more likely to report elevated whole-mouth quinine and 1 M NaCl intensities. Tongue-tip and whole-mouth taste intensity concordance varied between smokers and never smokers-current dependent smokers were more likely to rate tongue-tip quinine and NaCl lower than their respective whole-mouth tastants (OR: 1.8, 95% CI: 1.0 to 3.1 and OR: 1.8, 95% CI: 1.1 to 2.8, respectively). In summary, these U.S. nationally-representative data show that current smoking with chronicity and/or dependence associates with lower tongue-tip intensity for bitter and salty stimuli. Smokers with greater exposure to nicotine and/or dependence showed greater risk of taste alterations, with implications for diet- and smoking-related health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Berube
- Department of Clinical and Preventive Nutrition Sciences, Rutgers School of Health Professions, 65 Bergen St., Newark, NJ 07107-1709, United States
| | - Valerie B Duffy
- Department of Allied Health Sciences, University of Connecticut, 358 Mansfield Rd, Storrs, CT 06269, United States
| | - John E Hayes
- Sensory Evaluation Center, The Pennsylvania State University, 220 Erickson Food Science Building, University Park, PA 16802, United States; Department of Food Science, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, 220 Erickson Food Science Building, University Park, PA 16802, United States
| | - Howard J Hoffman
- Epidemiology and Statistics Program, Division of Scientific Programs, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, (NIH), 10 Center Dr., Bethesda, MD 20892, United States
| | - Shristi Rawal
- Department of Clinical and Preventive Nutrition Sciences, Rutgers School of Health Professions, 65 Bergen St., Newark, NJ 07107-1709, United States.
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20
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Wu D, Wang S, Hu C, Yan C, Wu M. Ten Years of the Cohort Biobank: Bibliometric Outcomes. Biopreserv Biobank 2021; 19:269-279. [PMID: 33449812 DOI: 10.1089/bio.2020.0096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Cohort studies with biobanks that use strict quality standards are essential requirements, not only for the development of new diagnostic and prognostic markers, but also for improving the understanding of pathophysiology of disease development, which have drawn an increasing amount of attention over the past decades. However, a bibliometric analysis of the global research on cohort biobanks is rare. The objective of this study was to evaluate the origin, current trend, and research hotspots of cohort biobanks. Materials and Methods: We searched the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) with "biobank" and "cohort" as the topic words to retrieve English language articles published from 2009 to 2018. The CiteSpace 5.5.R2 was used to perform the cooperation network analysis, key words co-occurrence and burst detection analysis, and reference co-citation analysis. Results: The number of publications on cohort biobanks has increased over the past decade. Tai Hing Lam from the Department of Community Medicine, University of Hong Kong, was found to be the most productive researcher in this field. The percentage of publications in England (38.30%) was the highest all over the world. Risk, biobank, meta-analysis, cohort, disease, and so on were the most frequent keywords. Metabolic syndrome was the strongest burst keyword in this field, followed by Hong Kong, Guangzhou biobank cohort and personalized medicine. Moreover, of all the references for 932 articles included in the study, the article titled "UK biobank: an open access resource for identifying the causes of a wide range of complex diseases of middle and old age" published in PLoS Med by Sudlow et al., was the most frequently co-cited reference in this field. The largest cluster was labeled as Guangzhou biobank cohort study. Conclusions: This study provides an insight into cohort biobanks and the valuable information for biobankers to identify new perspectives on potential collaborators and cooperative countries/territories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deqing Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai Tenth People's Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Susu Wang
- School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chunping Hu
- School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chonghuai Yan
- Ministry of Education-Shanghai Key Laboratory of Children's Environmental Health, Xinhua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Meiqin Wu
- The Women and Children's Health Care Department, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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21
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Reed DR, Alhadeff AL, Beauchamp GK, Chaudhari N, Duffy VB, Dus M, Fontanini A, Glendinning JI, Green BG, Joseph PV, Kyriazis GA, Lyte M, Maruvada P, McGann JP, McLaughlin JT, Moran TH, Murphy C, Noble EE, Pepino MY, Pluznick JL, Rother KI, Saez E, Spector AC, Sternini C, Mattes RD. NIH Workshop Report: sensory nutrition and disease. Am J Clin Nutr 2021; 113:232-245. [PMID: 33300030 PMCID: PMC7779223 DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/nqaa302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In November 2019, the NIH held the "Sensory Nutrition and Disease" workshop to challenge multidisciplinary researchers working at the interface of sensory science, food science, psychology, neuroscience, nutrition, and health sciences to explore how chemosensation influences dietary choice and health. This report summarizes deliberations of the workshop, as well as follow-up discussion in the wake of the current pandemic. Three topics were addressed: A) the need to optimize human chemosensory testing and assessment, B) the plasticity of chemosensory systems, and C) the interplay of chemosensory signals, cognitive signals, dietary intake, and metabolism. Several ways to advance sensory nutrition research emerged from the workshop: 1) refining methods to measure chemosensation in large cohort studies and validating measures that reflect perception of complex chemosensations relevant to dietary choice; 2) characterizing interindividual differences in chemosensory function and how they affect ingestive behaviors, health, and disease risk; 3) defining circuit-level organization and function that link and interact with gustatory, olfactory, homeostatic, visceral, and cognitive systems; and 4) discovering new ligands for chemosensory receptors (e.g., those produced by the microbiome) and cataloging cell types expressing these receptors. Several of these priorities were made more urgent by the current pandemic because infection with sudden acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the ensuing coronavirus disease of 2019 has direct short- and perhaps long-term effects on flavor perception. There is increasing evidence of functional interactions between the chemosensory and nutritional sciences. Better characterization of this interface is expected to yield insights to promote health, mitigate disease risk, and guide nutrition policy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amber L Alhadeff
- Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Nirupa Chaudhari
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
- Program in Neurosciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Valerie B Duffy
- Department of Allied Health Sciences, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Monica Dus
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Alfredo Fontanini
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - John I Glendinning
- Department of Biology, Barnard College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, Barnard College, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Barry G Green
- The John B Pierce Laboratory, New Haven, CT, USA
- Department of Surgery (Otolaryngology), Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Paule V Joseph
- National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
- National Institute of Nursing, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - George A Kyriazis
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Pharmacology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Mark Lyte
- Interdepartmental Microbiology Graduate Program, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Padma Maruvada
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - John P McGann
- Behavioral and Systems Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - John T McLaughlin
- Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology, & Gastroenterology, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine, and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
- Department of Gastroenterology, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Salford, United Kingdom
| | - Timothy H Moran
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Claire Murphy
- Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Emily E Noble
- Department of Foods and Nutrition, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - M Yanina Pepino
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Jennifer L Pluznick
- Department of Physiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kristina I Rother
- Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Enrique Saez
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Alan C Spector
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
- Program in Neuroscience, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA
| | - Catia Sternini
- Digestive Disease Division, Departments of Medicine and Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Richard D Mattes
- Department of Nutrition Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
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22
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Chao AM, Zhou Y, Franks AT, Brooks BE, Joseph PV. Associations of Taste Perception with Tobacco Smoking, Marijuana Use, and Weight Status in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Chem Senses 2021; 46:bjab017. [PMID: 33835132 PMCID: PMC8306721 DOI: 10.1093/chemse/bjab017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Habitual smoking of tobacco and marijuana can lead to weight changes and poor diet quality. These effects may be caused by taste changes related to smoking and marijuana use. This study examined the associations among taste perceptions of a bitterant (quinine) and salt, tobacco and marijuana use, and weight status. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of adults who responded to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2013-2014. Participants (n = 2808; female = 51.7%) were adults ≥40 years with an average body mass index (BMI) of 29.6 kg/m2. Participants completed whole mouth and tongue tip assessments of bitter (quinine) and salty (NaCl) tastes, and questionnaires on demographics, cigarette, tobacco, and drug use. Measured height and weight were used to calculate BMI. Compared with never smokers, current smokers reported increased bitter ratings. Smoking status was not associated with salty taste intensity ratings after adjustment for demographic variables. Current marijuana users reported lower tongue tip quine ratings than never users. Among current smokers, current marijuana users had lower whole mouth quinine ratings than never users. Taste perception for salt and quinine for current and former smokers as well as marijuana smokers varied in whole mouth and tongue tip assessment. Changes in taste perception among cigarette smokers and marijuana consumers may be clinically relevant to address to improve diet and weight status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariana M Chao
- Department of Biobehavioral Health Sciences, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Center for Weight and Eating Disorders, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Yingjie Zhou
- Department of Biobehavioral Health Sciences, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Center for Weight and Eating Disorders, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Alexis T Franks
- National Institutes on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism & National Institute of Nursing Research, Section of Sensory Science and Metabolism, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Brianna E Brooks
- National Institutes on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism & National Institute of Nursing Research, Section of Sensory Science and Metabolism, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Paule V Joseph
- National Institutes on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism & National Institute of Nursing Research, Section of Sensory Science and Metabolism, Bethesda, MD, USA
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23
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Risso D, Drayna D, Morini G. Alteration, Reduction and Taste Loss: Main Causes and Potential Implications on Dietary Habits. Nutrients 2020; 12:E3284. [PMID: 33120898 PMCID: PMC7693910 DOI: 10.3390/nu12113284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Revised: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Our sense of taste arises from the sensory information generated after compounds in the oral cavity and oropharynx activate taste receptor cells situated on taste buds. This produces the perception of sweet, bitter, salty, sour, or umami stimuli, depending on the chemical nature of the tastant. Taste impairments (dysgeusia) are alterations of this normal gustatory functioning that may result in complete taste losses (ageusia), partial reductions (hypogeusia), or over-acuteness of the sense of taste (hypergeusia). Taste impairments are not life-threatening conditions, but they can cause sufficient discomfort and lead to appetite loss and changes in eating habits, with possible effects on health. Determinants of such alterations are multiple and consist of both genetic and environmental factors, including aging, exposure to chemicals, drugs, trauma, high alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, poor oral health, malnutrition, and viral upper respiratory infections including influenza. Disturbances or loss of smell, taste, and chemesthesis have also emerged as predominant neurological symptoms of infection by the recent Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus strain 2 (SARS-CoV-2), as well as by previous both endemic and pandemic coronaviruses such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and SARS-CoV. This review is focused on the main causes of alteration, reduction, and loss of taste and their potential repercussion on dietary habits and health, with a special focus on the recently developed hypotheses regarding the mechanisms through which SARS-CoV-2 might alter taste perception.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Risso
- Ferrero Group, Soremartec Italia Srl, 12051 Alba, CN, Italy
| | - Dennis Drayna
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA;
| | - Gabriella Morini
- University of Gastronomic Sciences, Piazza Vittorio Emanuele 9, Bra, 12042 Pollenzo, CN, Italy;
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24
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Genetic variants of TAS2R38 bitter taste receptor associate with distinct gut microbiota traits in Parkinson's disease: A pilot study. Int J Biol Macromol 2020; 165:665-674. [PMID: 32946938 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.09.056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 09/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The non-tasting form of the bitter taste receptor, TAS2R38, has been shown as a genetic risk factor associated with the development of Parkinson's disease (PD). Specific taste receptors that are expressed in the lower gastrointestinal tract may respond to alteration in gut microbiota composition, detecting bacterial molecules, and regulate immune responses. Given the importance of brain-gut-microbiota axis and gene-environment interactions in PD, we investigate the associations between the genetic variants of TAS2R38 and gut microbiota composition in 39 PD patients. The results confirm that the majority of PD patients have reduced sensitivity to 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) and are carriers of at least one non-functional TAS2R38 AVI haplotype. Moreover, we found this correlation to be associated with a reduction in bacteria alpha-diversity with a predominant reduction of Clostridium genus. We hypothesised that the high frequency of the non-taster form of TAS2R38 associated with a diminuition of Clostridium bacteria in PD might determine a reduction in the activation of protective signalling-molecules useful in preserving gut homeostasis. This pilot study, by identifying a decrease in specific bacteria associated with a reduced sensitivity to PROP, adds essential information that opens new avenues of research into the association of PD microbiota composition and sensory modification.
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25
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Melis M, Sollai G, Mastinu M, Pani D, Cosseddu P, Bonfiglio A, Crnjar R, Tepper BJ, Tomassini Barbarossa I. Electrophysiological Responses from the Human Tongue to the Six Taste Qualities and Their Relationships with PROP Taster Status. Nutrients 2020; 12:E2017. [PMID: 32645975 PMCID: PMC7400817 DOI: 10.3390/nu12072017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Taste buds containing receptor cells that primarily detect one taste quality provide the basis for discrimination across taste qualities. The molecular receptor multiplicity and the interactions occurring between bud cells encode information about the chemical identity, nutritional value, and potential toxicity of stimuli before transmitting signals to the hindbrain. PROP (6-n-propylthiouracil) tasting is widely considered a marker for individual variations of taste perception, dietary preferences, and health. However, controversial data have been reported. We present measures of the peripheral gustatory system activation in response to taste qualities by electrophysiological recordings from the tongue of 39 subjects classified for PROP taster status. The waveform of the potential variation evoked depended on the taste quality of the stimulus. Direct relationships between PROP sensitivity and electrophysiological responses to taste qualities were found. The largest and fastest responses were recorded in PROP super-tasters, who had the highest papilla density, whilst smaller and slower responses were found in medium tasters and non-tasters with lower papilla densities. The intensities perceived by subjects of the three taster groups correspond to their electrophysiological responses for all stimuli except NaCl. Our results show that each taste quality can generate its own electrophysiological fingerprint on the tongue and provide direct evidence of the relationship between general taste perception and PROP phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melania Melis
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, CA, Italy; (G.S.); (M.M.); (R.C.)
| | - Giorgia Sollai
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, CA, Italy; (G.S.); (M.M.); (R.C.)
| | - Mariano Mastinu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, CA, Italy; (G.S.); (M.M.); (R.C.)
| | - Danilo Pani
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Cagliari, Piazza d’Armi, I 09123 Cagliari, CA, Italy; (D.P.); (P.C.); (A.B.)
| | - Piero Cosseddu
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Cagliari, Piazza d’Armi, I 09123 Cagliari, CA, Italy; (D.P.); (P.C.); (A.B.)
| | - Annalisa Bonfiglio
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Cagliari, Piazza d’Armi, I 09123 Cagliari, CA, Italy; (D.P.); (P.C.); (A.B.)
| | - Roberto Crnjar
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, CA, Italy; (G.S.); (M.M.); (R.C.)
| | - Beverly J. Tepper
- Department of Food Science, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8520, USA;
| | - Iole Tomassini Barbarossa
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, CA, Italy; (G.S.); (M.M.); (R.C.)
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26
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TAS2R38 Haplotype Predicts 24-Hour Urinary Sodium Excretion in Patients With Heart Failure and Their Family Caregivers. J Cardiovasc Nurs 2020; 36:238-244. [PMID: 32453275 DOI: 10.1097/jcn.0000000000000692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adherence to a low-sodium diet is essential to self-care of heart failure (HF). Genetic determinants of preference for high-sodium foods may impede adherence but have not been well-studied. OBJECTIVE Our purpose was to examine if TAS2R38 haplotype predicted salt taste sensitivity and dietary sodium intake among patients with HF. METHOD This pilot study used baseline data from a large interventional randomized control trial to support adherence to a low-sodium diet in patients with HF and their family caregivers. Participants were tested for salt taste sensitivity and provided a 24-hour urinary sodium sample and a blood sample for DNA analysis at baseline. Fungiform papillae were counted. χ2 Test and 1-way analysis of variance were used to compare haplotype groups. Linear regression was performed to examine predictors of salt taste sensitivity and 24-hour urinary sodium excretion, controlling for age, gender, ethnicity, smoking status, and fungiform papillae density. RESULTS There were 42 patients with HF and their family caregivers (age, 64.6 ± 13.4 years, 46.5% male, 97.7% white, and 90.7% nonsmoker). Pronine-alanine-valine homozygous haplotype predicted lower urinary sodium excretion (b = -1780.59, t41 = -2.18, P = .036), but genotype was not a significant predictor of salt taste sensitivity. CONCLUSIONS The results of our study partially supported our hypothesis that PAV homozygous haplotype predicts 24-hour urinary sodium excretion. With our small sample size, more research is needed. Understanding genetic influences on taste can lead to development of educational interventions tailored to patients with HF and their family caregivers to better support dietary adherence.
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27
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Smail HO. The roles of genes in the bitter taste. AIMS GENETICS 2020; 6:88-97. [PMID: 31922012 PMCID: PMC6949464 DOI: 10.3934/genet.2019.4.88] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2019] [Accepted: 12/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The aims of this review were to understand the roles of bitter taste genes in humans. Some of the peoples have the capacity to taste some chemical substance such as phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) while others cant not based on the dietary hazards and food preferences. There are two alleles responsible to express these phenotypes which are homozygous recessive. In human TAS2R38 genes located on the chromosome number 7 and consist of different nucleotide polymorphism that related to detection of the phenotype of different chemical compounds such as 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) and phenylthiocarbamide bitterness and this Gene is the member of the TAS2R genes which are eleven pseudogenes and twenty that has roles in many biological processes. There are many factors that affect the bitter taste such as food, age, sex, and different diseases. The mechanism of food bitter taste and genotype of TAS2R38 until know not well understood due to that the proof of relation between bitter taste sensitivity and food is harmful. there are many different diseases can impact the influence of taste such as neoplasm and lifestyle such as consumption of alcohol along with the use of medication, head trauma, upper tract infections. On the other hand, A relation between TAS2R38 genotype and meal preferences has been observed among children, however, no associations have been mentioned among older adults. Some previous research proved some vital points that show an association between type 1 of diabetes and phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) but other studies cannot demonstrate that. However, of other disease such as obesity is controversial but other studies reported to the relationship between them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harem Othman Smail
- Department of Biology, Faculty of science and health, Koya University Koya KOY45, Kurdistan Region-F.R. Iraq
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28
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Gentiluomo M, Lu Y, Canzian F, Campa D. Genetic variants in taste-related genes and risk of pancreatic cancer. Mutagenesis 2019; 34:391-394. [PMID: 31606007 DOI: 10.1093/mutage/gez032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Accepted: 09/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is an aggressive and relatively rare cancer with a dismal 5-year survival rate and a clear genetic background. Genetic variants in taste receptors and taste-related genes have been associated with a variety of human traits and phenotypes among which several cancer types and pancreatic cancer risk factors. In this study, we analysed 2854 single-nucleotide polymorphisms in 50 taste-related genes, including 37 taste receptors. To cover all the genetic variability of the selected genes and to include also regulatory elements, we added 5000 nucleotides to both ends of each gene. We used a two-phase approach, with the PanScan data set (3314 cases and 3431 controls) as the discovery phase and PanC4 (3893 cases and 3632 controls) as validation phase, for a total of 7207 cases and 7063 controls. The datasets were downloaded from the NCBI database of genotypes and phenotypes (dbGaP). We observed that the taste 1 receptor member 2 (TAS1R2)-rs11261087 variant was associated with pancreatic cancer risk in both phases independently, with a consistent association of the T allele with decreased risk of developing the disease [phase 1 odds ratio (OR) = 0.89, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.80-0.98; phase 2 OR = 0.91, 95% CI 0.83-0.99; all subjects together OR = 0.90, 95% CI 0.84-0.96, P = 0.002]. However, neither the association observed in the validation phase nor those observed in the joint analysis were statistically significant considering multiple testing. Functional studies are warranted to better understand the impact of the genetic variability of TAS1R2 on PDAC risk.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ye Lu
- Genomic Epidemiology Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Federico Canzian
- Genomic Epidemiology Group, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Daniele Campa
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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29
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Melis M, Errigo A, Crnjar R, Pes GM, Tomassini Barbarossa I. TAS2R38 bitter taste receptor and attainment of exceptional longevity. Sci Rep 2019; 9:18047. [PMID: 31792278 PMCID: PMC6889489 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-54604-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Accepted: 11/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Bitter taste receptors play crucial roles in detecting bitter compounds not only in the oral cavity, but also in extraoral tissues where they are involved in a variety of non‒tasting physiological processes. On the other hand, disorders or modifications in the sensitivity or expression of these extraoral receptors can affect physiological functions. Here we evaluated the role of the bitter receptor TAS2R38 in attainment of longevity, since it has been widely associated with individual differences in taste perception, food preferences, diet, nutrition, immune responses and pathophysiological mechanisms. Differences in genotype distribution and haplotype frequency at the TAS2R38 gene between a cohort of centenarian and near-centenarian subjects and two control cohorts were determined. Results show in the centenarian cohort an increased frequency of subjects carrying the homozygous genotype for the functional variant of TAS2R38 (PAV/PAV) and a decreased frequency of those having homozygous genotype for the non-functional form (AVI/AVI), as compared to those determined in the two control cohorts. In conclusion, our data providing evidence of an association between genetic variants of TAS2R38 gene and human longevity, suggest that TAS2R38 bitter receptor can be involved in the molecular physiological mechanisms implied in the biological process of aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melania Melis
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Monserrato, CA, 09042, Italy.
| | - Alessandra Errigo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, SS, 07100, Italy
| | - Roberto Crnjar
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Monserrato, CA, 09042, Italy
| | - Giovanni Mario Pes
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, SS, 07100, Italy.,Sardinia Longevity Blue Zone Observatory, Ogliastra, Italy
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30
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Rodríguez-Ramos Á, Moriana JA, García-Torres F, Ruiz-Rubio M. Emotional stability is associated with the MAOA promoter uVNTR polymorphism in women. Brain Behav 2019; 9:e01376. [PMID: 31448578 PMCID: PMC6749489 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.1376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2019] [Revised: 07/08/2019] [Accepted: 07/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neuroticism is associated with low emotional stability, and it is characterized by a tendency to perceive ordinary situations as threatening and difficult to manage. This personality trait has been associated with psychological distress and predicts some mental disorders. Previous studies have shown that women tend to be more neurotic than men and, in general, females have also a higher incidence of anxious and depressive disorders. METHODS We analyzed in a sample of 99 female university students (from 18 to 26 years old) if emotional stability, measured using the Big Five Questionnaire, was linked to polymorphic variants in candidate genes related to dopaminergic and serotonergic systems, and other personality variables. RESULTS We found that emotional stability and its subdimensions are genetically associated with MAOA-uVNTR polymorphism. Thus, women carriers of the 3-repeat allele (lower MAO-A expression) showed higher levels of emotional stability. No associations were found with other polymorphisms analyzed, including COMT Val158 Met, 5-HTTLPR, and DAT 3'UTR VNTR. Furthermore, our results showed a negative correlation between emotional stability and depression, state anxiety, and trait anxiety. In fact, MAOA-uVNTR and trait anxiety also explained emotional stability and its subdimensions. We also found that other genetic characteristic, phenylthiocarbamide tasting, explained impulsivity, specifically tasters controlled impulses better than nontasters. CONCLUSION Our results indicate that neuroticism might be regulated by MAOA and could be a common factor between different phenotypes, such as aggressive behaviors or personality disorders, observed in women with higher activity genotype who had been exposed to negative environments during childhood. This study could lead to a better understanding of the basis of emotional stability and could lead to future projects for this purpose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ángel Rodríguez-Ramos
- Department of Genetics, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain.,Department of Psychology, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain.,Maimónides Biomedical Research Institute of Córdoba (IMIBIC), Córdoba, Spain.,University Hospital Reina Sofía of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Juan Antonio Moriana
- Department of Psychology, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain.,Maimónides Biomedical Research Institute of Córdoba (IMIBIC), Córdoba, Spain.,University Hospital Reina Sofía of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Francisco García-Torres
- Department of Psychology, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain.,Maimónides Biomedical Research Institute of Córdoba (IMIBIC), Córdoba, Spain.,University Hospital Reina Sofía of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | - Manuel Ruiz-Rubio
- Department of Genetics, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain.,Maimónides Biomedical Research Institute of Córdoba (IMIBIC), Córdoba, Spain.,University Hospital Reina Sofía of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
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31
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Nayak AP, Shah SD, Michael JV, Deshpande DA. Bitter Taste Receptors for Asthma Therapeutics. Front Physiol 2019; 10:884. [PMID: 31379597 PMCID: PMC6647873 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Clinical management of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has primarily relied on the use of beta 2 adrenergic receptor agonists (bronchodilators) and corticosteroids, and more recently, monoclonal antibody therapies (biologics) targeting specific cytokines and their functions. Although these approaches provide relief from exacerbations, questions remain on their long-term efficacy and safety. Furthermore, current therapeutics do not address progressive airway remodeling (AR), a key pathological feature of severe obstructive lung disease. Strikingly, agonists of the bitter taste receptors (TAS2Rs) deliver robust bronchodilation, curtail allergen-induced inflammatory responses in the airways and regulate airway smooth muscle (ASM) cell proliferation and mitigate features of AR in vitro and in animal models. The scope of this review is to provide a comprehensive and systematic insight into our current understanding of TAS2Rs with an emphasis on the molecular events that ensue TAS2R activation in distinct airway cell types and expand on the pleiotropic effects of TAS2R targeting in mitigating various pathological features of obstructive lung diseases. Finally, we will discuss specific opportunities that could help the development of selective agonists for specific TAS2R subtypes in the treatment of asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajay P Nayak
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Center for Translational Medicine, Department of Medicine, Jane and Leonard Korman Respiratory Institute, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Sushrut D Shah
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Center for Translational Medicine, Department of Medicine, Jane and Leonard Korman Respiratory Institute, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - James V Michael
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Center for Translational Medicine, Department of Medicine, Jane and Leonard Korman Respiratory Institute, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Deepak A Deshpande
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Center for Translational Medicine, Department of Medicine, Jane and Leonard Korman Respiratory Institute, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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32
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Kozlitina J, Risso D, Lansu K, Olsen RHJ, Sainz E, Luiselli D, Barik A, Frigerio-Domingues C, Pagani L, Wooding S, Kirchner T, Niaura R, Roth B, Drayna D. An African-specific haplotype in MRGPRX4 is associated with menthol cigarette smoking. PLoS Genet 2019; 15:e1007916. [PMID: 30768591 PMCID: PMC6377114 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1007916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2017] [Accepted: 12/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
In the U.S., more than 80% of African-American smokers use mentholated cigarettes, compared to less than 30% of Caucasian smokers. The reasons for these differences are not well understood. To determine if genetic variation contributes to mentholated cigarette smoking, we performed an exome-wide association analysis in a multiethnic population-based sample from Dallas, TX (N = 561). Findings were replicated in an independent cohort of African Americans from Washington, DC (N = 741). We identified a haplotype of MRGPRX4 (composed of rs7102322[G], encoding N245S, and rs61733596[G], T43T), that was associated with a 5-to-8 fold increase in the odds of menthol cigarette smoking. The variants are present solely in persons of African ancestry. Functional studies indicated that the variant G protein-coupled receptor encoded by MRGPRX4 displays reduced agonism in both arrestin-based and G protein-based assays, and alteration of agonism by menthol. These data indicate that genetic variation in MRGPRX4 contributes to inter-individual and inter-ethnic differences in the preference for mentholated cigarettes, and that the existence of genetic factors predisposing vulnerable populations to mentholated cigarette smoking can inform tobacco control and public health policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Kozlitina
- McDermott Center for Human Growth and Development, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, United States of America
| | - Davide Risso
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Katherine Lansu
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Reid Hans Johnson Olsen
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Eduardo Sainz
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Donata Luiselli
- Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Arnab Barik
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Carlos Frigerio-Domingues
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Luca Pagani
- Estonian Biocentre, Institute of Genomics, University of Tartu, Estonia
| | - Stephen Wooding
- School of Public Health, University of California, Merced, California, United States of America
| | - Thomas Kirchner
- Schroeder Institute for Tobacco Research, Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America
| | - Ray Niaura
- Schroeder Institute for Tobacco Research, Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America
| | - Bryan Roth
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Dennis Drayna
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
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Melis M, Grzeschuchna L, Sollai G, Hummel T, Tomassini Barbarossa I. Taste disorders are partly genetically determined: Role of the TAS2R38 gene, a pilot study. Laryngoscope 2019; 129:E307-E312. [PMID: 30675726 DOI: 10.1002/lary.27828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2018] [Revised: 11/08/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS Taste sensitivity varies greatly among individuals influencing eating behavior and health, consequently the disorders of this sense can affect the quality of life. The ability to perceive the bitter of thiourea compounds, such as phenylthiocarbamide (PTC), has been largely reported as a marker of the general taste sensitivity, food preferences, and health. PTC sensitivity is mediated by the TAS2R38 receptor and its genetic common variants. We study the role of the TAS2R38 receptor in taste disorders with the aim of understanding if these can be genetically determined. STUDY DESIGN Prospective cohort study. METHODS Differences in the PTC responsiveness between the patients cohort and healthy controls were assessed. All subjects received standardized tests for smell and taste function and were genotyped for the TAS2R38 gene. RESULTS PAV/PAV homozygous patients gave high PTC ratings, whereas PAV/AVI genotypes reported lower values, which are similar to those determined in AVI/AVI or rare genotypes. In addition, the patients cohort did not meet the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium at the TAS2R38 locus, showing a very low frequency of subjects carrying the PAV/AVI diplotype. Independently, in healthy controls who were in equilibrium at the locus, PAV/PAV homozygous and heterozygous rated PTC bitterness higher compared to AVI/AVI or rare genotypes. CONCLUSIONS Our findings, by showing that an only taster haplotype (PAV) is not sufficient to evoke high responses of TAS2R38 receptor in patients with taste disorders, suggest that the genetic constitution may represent a risk factor for the development of taste disorders. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 2c Laryngoscope, 129:E307-E312, 2019.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melania Melis
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Monserrato, Italy
| | - Lisa Grzeschuchna
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Smell and Taste Clinic, Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany
| | - Giorgia Sollai
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Monserrato, Italy
| | - Thomas Hummel
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Smell and Taste Clinic, Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany
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Heightened olfactory dysfunction and oral irritation among chronic smokers and heightened propylthiouracil (PROP) bitterness among menthol smokers. Physiol Behav 2018; 201:111-122. [PMID: 30557565 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2018.12.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2018] [Revised: 12/05/2018] [Accepted: 12/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Chronic cigarette smoking may influence chemosensory function, which in turn, may affect cigarette usage. Because menthol in cigarettes can attenuate nicotine bitterness, choice of menthol/nonmenthol cigarettes may be influenced by ability to perceive bitterness. We examined chemosensory function of chronic smokers, hypothesizing they would show altered function in comparison to non-smokers and by menthol cigarette preference. In laboratory-based measures, chronic smokers (N = 135; 84 menthol smokers) self-reported their chemosensory function and participated in smell (identification task with perceived intensity) and taste (quinine and NaCl intensity on tongue-tip and whole mouth) testing. A taste genetics probe (propylthiouracil (PROP) bitterness) also was assessed. Self-reported and measured chemosensory function were compared with nationally-representative 2013-2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data generated with similar measures. The taste measures also were compared between smokers and age- and sex-matched non-smokers from a laboratory database. Frequencies of self-reported smell and taste alterations among smokers exceeded NHANES prevalence estimates for non-smokers. The rate of measured smell dysfunction also exceeded NHANES prevalence for hyposmia. Compared to non-smokers, smokers reported elevated tongue-tip and whole mouth intensities from 1 M NaCl, with no significant differences in whole mouth quinine or 0.32 M NaCl. Inconsistent with previous hypotheses, smokers were not more likely to report depressed PROP bitterness than non-smokers. However, as expected, menthol smokers reported greater PROP bitterness than non-menthol smokers. In conclusion, chemosensory alterations were more frequent among chronic smokers, including hyposmia and heightened intensity from NaCl at an oral-irritant concentration. PROP supertasters were most likely to prefer mentholated cigarettes.
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Baker AN, Miranda AM, Garneau NL, Hayes JE. Self-reported Smoking Status, TAS2R38 Variants, and Propylthiouracil Phenotype: An Exploratory Crowdsourced Cohort Study. Chem Senses 2018; 43:617-625. [PMID: 30137252 PMCID: PMC6150776 DOI: 10.1093/chemse/bjy053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
TAS2R38 gene variants, which confer sensitivity to specific bitter tastants (e.g., 6-n-propylthiouracil), have been repeatedly associated with lower alcohol use via greater bitterness perception, but research exploring TAS2R38 variation in relation to smoking shows mixed results. In both, the working hypothesis is that 1 or more copies of the functional allele increases bitterness and may provide a barrier to early use. Such a barrier to initiation may, conceivably, manifest as differential rates of current use across diplotypes. Here, an age-diverse convenience sample (n = 886) of Denver Museum of Nature and Science guests was used to explore cross-sectional relationships between TAS2R38 diplotype, self-reported tobacco use (current, former, never smokers), and a rapid measure of 6-n-propylthiouracil phenotype (bitterness of filter paper discs). TAS2R38 diplotypes were determined by Sanger sequencing. After excluding rare diplotypes, data from 814 participants were analyzed. A mix of current (~10%), former (25%), and never smokers (65%) were included. As expected, there was a relationship between TAS2R38 diplotype and 6-n-propylthiouracil bitterness. However, contrary to our hypothesis, there was no evidence of a relationship between diplotype and smoker status among participants with common TAS2R38 diplotypes. Notably, we observed a relationship between of 6-n-propylthiouracil bitterness and smoking status, but the effect was opposite of what was expected: current smokers perceived higher (not lower) bitterness than never smokers. When all the various factors (diplotype, age, sex, and smoking status) were included in ANOVA, all remained predictive of 6-n-propylthiouracil bitterness. Reasons for greater phenotypic bitterness among current smokers are unknown and merit further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison N Baker
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Anjelica M Miranda
- Health Sciences Department, The Genetics of Taste Lab, Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Denver, CO, USA
| | - Nicole L Garneau
- Health Sciences Department, The Genetics of Taste Lab, Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Denver, CO, USA
| | - John E Hayes
- Department of Food Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
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Cossu G, Melis M, Sarchioto M, Melis M, Melis M, Morelli M, Tomassini Barbarossa I. 6-n-propylthiouracil taste disruption and TAS2R38 nontasting form in Parkinson's disease. Mov Disord 2018; 33:1331-1339. [PMID: 29575306 DOI: 10.1002/mds.27391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2017] [Revised: 02/02/2018] [Accepted: 03/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The few studies that evaluated taste function in Parkinson's disease (PD) showed inconsistent results. The inherited ability to taste the bitter compound of 6-n-propylthiouracil has been considered to be a paradigm of general taste perception. 6-n-propylthiouracil taste perception is mediated by the TAS2R38 receptor, and reduced 6-n-propylthiouracil sensitivity has been associated with several diseases not typically related to taste function. OBJECTIVES We evaluated the 6-n-propylthiouracil taste perception and the TAS2R38 gene as genetic risk factors for the development of idiopathic PD in PD patients and healthy controls (HC). METHODS The 6-n-propylthiouracil taste perception was assessed by testing the responsiveness, and the ability to recognize, 6-n-propylthiouracil and sodium chloride. The participants were classified for 6-n-propylthiouracil taster status and genotyped for the TAS2R38 gene. RESULTS A significant increase in the frequency of participants classified as 6-n-propylthiouracil nontasters and a reduced ability to recognize bitter taste quality of 6-n-propylthiouracil were found in PD patients when compared with healthy controls. The results also showed that only 5% of PD patients had the homozygous genotype for the dominant tasting variant of TAS2R38, whereas most of them carried the recessive nontaster form and a high number had a rare variant. CONCLUSIONS Our results show that 6-n-propylthiouracil taster status and TAS2R38 locus are associated with PD. The 6-n-propylthiouracil test may therefore represent a novel, simple way to identify increased vulnerability to PD. Moreover, the presence of the nontasting form of TAS2R38 in PD may further substantiate that disease-associated taste disruption may represent a risk factor associated with the disease. © 2018 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Cossu
- Neurology Service and Stroke Unit, A.O. Brotzu, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Melania Melis
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Marianna Sarchioto
- Neurology Service and Stroke Unit, A.O. Brotzu, Cagliari, Italy.,University of Cagliari, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health Cagliari, University of Cagliari, Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Marta Melis
- Neurology Service and Stroke Unit, A.O. Brotzu, Cagliari, Italy.,University of Cagliari, Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health Cagliari, University of Cagliari, Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Maurizio Melis
- Neurology Service and Stroke Unit, A.O. Brotzu, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Micaela Morelli
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Monserrato, Cagliari, Italy
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Shizukuda S, Marchini JS, Adell A, Santos MA, Brandao CFC, Lima CMM, Cunha SFC, Itikawa EN, Silvah JH. Influences of weight, age, gender, genetics, diseases, and ethnicity on bitterness perception: a narrative review of current methodological aspects. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018. [DOI: 10.1186/s41110-018-0069-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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Factors Influencing the Phenotypic Characterization of the Oral Marker, PROP. Nutrients 2017; 9:nu9121275. [PMID: 29168731 PMCID: PMC5748726 DOI: 10.3390/nu9121275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2017] [Revised: 11/15/2017] [Accepted: 11/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In the last several decades, the genetic ability to taste the bitter compound, 6-n-propyltiouracil (PROP) has attracted considerable attention as a model for understanding individual differences in taste perception, and as an oral marker for food preferences and eating behavior that ultimately impacts nutritional status and health. However, some studies do not support this role. This review describes common factors that can influence the characterization of this phenotype including: (1) changes in taste sensitivity with increasing age; (2) gender differences in taste perception; and (3) effects of smoking and obesity. We suggest that attention to these factors during PROP screening could strengthen the associations between this phenotype and a variety of health outcomes ranging from variation in body composition to oral health and cancer risk.
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