Correlation of PTC Taste Status with Fungiform Papillae Count and Body Mass Index in Smokers and Non-Smokers of Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia

Clinical Associations of Bitter Taste Perception and Bitter Taste Receptor Variants and the Potential for Personalized Healthcare

Bitter taste receptors (T2Rs) consist of 25 functional receptors that can be found in various types of cells throughout the human body with responses ranging from detecting bitter taste to suppressing pathogen-induced inflammation upon activation. Numerous studies have observed clinical associations with genetic or phenotypic variants in bitter taste receptors, most notably that of the receptor isoform T2R38. With genetic variants playing a role in the response of the body to bacterial quorum-sensing molecules, bacterial metabolites, medicinal agonists and nutrients, we examine how T2R polymorphisms, expression levels and bitter taste perception can lead to varying clinical associations. From these genetic and phenotypic differences, healthcare management can potentially be individualized through appropriately administering drugs with bitter masking to increase compliance; optimizing nutritional strategies and diets; avoiding the use of T2R agonists if this pathway is already activated from bacterial infections; adjusting drug regimens based on differing prognoses; or adjusting drug regimens based on T2R expression levels in the target cell type and bodily region.

Tongue papillae density and fat taster status- a cardinal role on sweet and bitter taste perception among Indian population

Obesity is a complex nutritional disorder that may be influenced by calorie intake and eating behaviours. Aside from many studies, the influence of papillae count on obesity is still debated. Despite the multiple variables connected to weight gain and altered taste perception, determining the association between papillae count and taste sensitivity to fat, sweet and bitter tastes, in particular, has recently become a focus of attention. This study aimed to rule out the relationship between the number of papillae on different areas of the tongue and taste sensitivity in people (n = 150) among the various groups depending on their body mass index (BMI) and fat taste sensitivity. The general labelled magnitude scale (gLMS) was used for the taste sensitivity analysis, and participants were asked to rate the intensity of each concentration of the different tastants. Using a digital camera to obtain a picture of the tongue, the density of the papillae on the tongue was counted manually by three different operators. The study reveals that the total papillae density and BMI had a direct negative correlation (r = -0.43), with papillae density (PD) decreasing as BMI increased. Concurrently, persons with higher BMIs had lower papillae distributions (32.38 ± 1.85 PD/cm²) and significantly lower perceptions of the intensity of fat taste. Further examining papillae density in the anterior front part of the tongue, the front-right section, showed significantly higher papillae distribution (74.04 ± 2.11 PD/cm²) than the front-left section. When considering the sensitivity in the tip of the tongue, middle tongue, and whole mouth, high-sensitivity individuals for fat are more sensitive to both sweet and bitter tastes. Overall, the results of this study demonstrated a strong relationship between taste sensitivity in the Indian population, BMI, and tongue papillae density in various regions of the tongue.

Association of phenylthiocarbamide perception with anthropometric variables and intake and liking for bitter vegetables

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.