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Tu K, Zhou M, Tan JJ, Markos L, Cloud C, Zhou M, Hayashi N, Rawson NE, Margolskee RF, Wang H. Chronic social defeat stress broadly inhibits gene expression in the peripheral taste system and alters taste responses in mice. Physiol Behav 2024; 275:114446. [PMID: 38128683 PMCID: PMC10843841 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2023.114446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Human studies have linked stress exposure to unhealthy eating behavior. However, the mechanisms that drive stress-associated changes in eating behavior remain incompletely understood. The sense of taste plays important roles in food preference and intake. In this study, we use a chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) model in mice to address whether chronic stress impacts taste sensation and gene expression in taste buds and the gut. Our results showed that CSDS significantly elevated circulating levels of corticosterone and acylated ghrelin while lowering levels of leptin, suggesting a change in metabolic hormones that promotes food consumption. Stressed mice substantially increased their intake of food and water 3-5 days after the stress onset and gradually gained more body weight than that of controls. Moreover, CSDS significantly decreased the expression of multiple taste receptors and signaling molecules in taste buds and reduced mRNA levels of several taste progenitor/stem cell markers and regulators. Stressed mice showed significantly reduced sensitivity and response to umami and sweet taste compounds in behavioral tests. In the small intestine, the mRNA levels of Gnat3 and Tas1r2 were elevated in CSDS mice. The increased Gnat3 was mostly localized in a type of Gnat3+ and CD45+ immune cells, suggesting changes of immune cell distribution in the gut of stressed mice. Together, our study revealed broad effects of CSDS on the peripheral taste system and the gut, which may contribute to stress-associated changes in eating behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katelyn Tu
- The Monell Chemical Senses Center, 3500 Market St., Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Haverford College, 370 Lancaster Ave., Haverford, PA 19041, USA
| | - Mary Zhou
- The Monell Chemical Senses Center, 3500 Market St., Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Haverford College, 370 Lancaster Ave., Haverford, PA 19041, USA
| | - Jidong J Tan
- The Monell Chemical Senses Center, 3500 Market St., Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Chemistry, the University of Pennsylvania, 231 S. 34 St., Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Loza Markos
- The Monell Chemical Senses Center, 3500 Market St., Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Cameron Cloud
- The Monell Chemical Senses Center, 3500 Market St., Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Lafayette College, 730 High St., Easton, PA 18042, USA
| | - Minliang Zhou
- The Monell Chemical Senses Center, 3500 Market St., Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Naoki Hayashi
- Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agriculture and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Nancy E Rawson
- The Monell Chemical Senses Center, 3500 Market St., Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Robert F Margolskee
- The Monell Chemical Senses Center, 3500 Market St., Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Hong Wang
- The Monell Chemical Senses Center, 3500 Market St., Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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