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Chu X, Zhu W, Li X, Su E, Wang J. Bitter flavors and bitter compounds in foods: identification, perception, and reduction techniques. Food Res Int 2024; 183:114234. [PMID: 38760147 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2024.114234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
Bitterness is one of the five basic tastes generally considered undesirable. The widespread presence of bitter compounds can negatively affect the palatability of foods. The classification and sensory evaluation of bitter compounds have been the focus in recent research. However, the rigorous identification of bitter tastes and further studies to effectively mask or remove them have not been thoroughly evaluated. The present paper focuses on identification of bitter compounds in foods, structural-based activation of bitter receptors, and strategies to reduce bitter compounds in foods. It also discusses the roles of metabolomics and virtual screening analysis in bitter taste. The identification of bitter compounds has seen greater success through metabolomics with multivariate statistical analysis compared to conventional chromatography, HPLC, LC-MS, and NMR techniques. However, to avoid false positives, sensory recognition should be combined. Bitter perception involves the structural activation of bitter taste receptors (TAS2Rs). Only 25 human TAS2Rs have been identified as responsible for recognizing numerous bitter compounds, showcasing their high structural diversity to bitter agonists. Thus, reducing bitterness can be achieved through several methods. Traditionally, the removal or degradation of bitter substances has been used for debittering, while the masking of bitterness presents a new effective approach to improving food flavor. Future research in food bitterness should focus on identifying unknown bitter compounds in food, elucidating the mechanisms of activation of different receptors, and developing debittering techniques based on the entire food matrix.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Chu
- Department of Food Science and Technology, College of Light Industry and Food Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Wangsheng Zhu
- Engineering Technology Research Center for Plant Cell of Anhui Province, West Anhui University, Anhui 237012, China
| | - Xue Li
- Department of Food Science and Technology, College of Light Industry and Food Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Erzheng Su
- Department of Food Science and Technology, College of Light Industry and Food Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; Co-innovation Center for the Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Procession of Forest Resources, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
| | - Jiahong Wang
- Department of Food Science and Technology, College of Light Industry and Food Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; Co-innovation Center for the Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, College of Forestry, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China; Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Procession of Forest Resources, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China.
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2
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Qu M, Lu P, Lifshitz LM, Moore Simas TA, Delpapa E, ZhuGe R. Phenanthroline relaxes uterine contractions induced by diverse contractile agents by decreasing cytosolic calcium concentration. Eur J Pharmacol 2024; 968:176343. [PMID: 38281680 PMCID: PMC10939717 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2024.176343] [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: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Uterine contractions during labor and preterm labor are influenced by a complex interplay of factors, including hormones and inflammatory mediators. This complexity may contribute to the limited efficacy of current tocolytics for preterm labor, a significant challenge in obstetrics with 15 million cases annually and approximately 1 million resulting deaths worldwide. We have previously shown that the myometrium expresses bitter taste receptors (TAS2Rs) and that their activation leads to uterine relaxation. Here, we investigated whether the selective TAS2R5 agonist phenanthroline can induce relaxation across a spectrum of human uterine contractions and whether the underlying mechanism involves changes in intracellular Ca2+ signaling. We performed experiments using samples from pregnant women undergoing scheduled cesarean delivery, assessing responses to various inflammatory mediators and oxytocin with and without phenanthroline. Our results showed that phenanthroline concentration-dependently inhibited contractions induced by PGF2α, U46619, 5-HT, endothelin-1 and oxytocin. Furthermore, in hTERT-infected human myometrial cells exposed to uterotonics, phenanthroline effectively suppressed the increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration induced by PGF2α, U46619, oxytocin, and endothelin-1. These results suggest that the selective TAS2R5 agonist may not only significantly reduce uterine contractions but also decrease intracellular Ca2+ levels. This study highlights the potential development of TAS2R5 agonists as a new class of uterine relaxants, providing a novel avenue for improving the management of preterm labor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingzi Qu
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, UMass Chan Medical School, 363 Plantation St., Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Ping Lu
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, UMass Chan Medical School, 363 Plantation St., Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Lawrence M Lifshitz
- Program in Molecular Medicine, UMass Chan Medical School, 373 Plantation St., Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Tiffany A Moore Simas
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, UMass Chan Medical School/UMass Memorial Health, 119 Belmont St, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Ellen Delpapa
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, UMass Chan Medical School/UMass Memorial Health, 119 Belmont St, Worcester, MA, USA.
| | - Ronghua ZhuGe
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, UMass Chan Medical School, 363 Plantation St., Worcester, MA, USA.
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3
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Lu P, Simas TAM, Delpapa E, ZhuGe R. Bitter taste receptors in the reproductive system: Function and therapeutic implications. J Cell Physiol 2024; 239:e31179. [PMID: 38219077 PMCID: PMC10922893 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.31179] [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: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
Type 2 taste receptors (TAS2Rs), traditionally known for their role in bitter taste perception, are present in diverse reproductive tissues of both sexes. This review explores our current understanding of TAS2R functions with a particular focus on reproductive health. In males, TAS2Rs are believed to play potential roles in processes such as sperm chemotaxis and male fertility. Genetic insights from mouse models and human polymorphism studies provide some evidence for their contribution to male infertility. In female reproduction, it is speculated that TAS2Rs influence the ovarian milieu, shaping the functions of granulosa and cumulus cells and their interactions with oocytes. In the uterus, TAS2Rs contribute to uterine relaxation and hold potential as therapeutic targets for preventing preterm birth. In the placenta, they are proposed to function as vigilant sentinels, responding to infection and potentially modulating mechanisms of fetal protection. In the cervix and vagina, their analogous functions to those in other extraoral tissues suggest a potential role in infection defense. In addition, TAS2Rs exhibit altered expression patterns that profoundly affect cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis in reproductive cancers. Notably, TAS2R agonists show promise in inducing apoptosis and overcoming chemoresistance in these malignancies. Despite these advances, challenges remain, including a lack of genetic and functional studies. The application of techniques such as single-cell RNA sequencing and clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated endonuclease 9 gene editing could provide deeper insights into TAS2Rs in reproduction, paving the way for novel therapeutic strategies for reproductive disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Lu
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological System, UMass Chan Medical School, 363 Plantation St., Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Tiffany A. Moore Simas
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, UMass Chan Medical School/UMass Memorial Health, Memorial Campus 119 Belmont St., Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Ellen Delpapa
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, UMass Chan Medical School/UMass Memorial Health, Memorial Campus 119 Belmont St., Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Ronghua ZhuGe
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological System, UMass Chan Medical School, 363 Plantation St., Worcester, MA, USA
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4
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Bloxham CJ, Hulme KD, Fierro F, Fercher C, Pegg CL, O'Brien SL, Foster SR, Short KR, Furness SGB, Reichelt ME, Niv MY, Thomas WG. Cardiac human bitter taste receptors contain naturally occurring variants that alter function. Biochem Pharmacol 2024; 219:115932. [PMID: 37989413 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2023.115932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
Bitter taste receptors (T2R) are a subfamily of G protein-coupled receptors that enable humans to detect aversive and toxic substances. The ability to discern bitter compounds varies between individuals and is attributed mainly to naturally occurring T2R polymorphisms. T2Rs are also expressed in numerous non-gustatory tissues, including the heart, indicating potential contributions to cardiovascular physiology. In this study. T2Rs that have previously been identified in human cardiac tissues (T2Rs - 10, 14, 30, 31, 46 and 50) and their naturally occurring polymorphisms were functionally characterised. The ligand-dependent signaling responses of some T2R variants were completely abolished (T2R30 Leu252 and T2R46 Met228), whereas other receptor variants had moderate changes in their maximal response, but not potency, relative to wild type. Using a cAMP fluorescent biosensor, we reveal the productive coupling of T2R14, but not the T2R14 Phe201 variant, to endogenous Gαi. Modeling revealed that these variants resulted in altered interactions that generally affected ligand binding (T2R30 Leu252) or Gα protein interactions (T2R46 Met228 and T2R14 Phe201), rather than receptor structural stability. Interestingly, this study is the first to show a difference in signaling for T2R50 Tyr203 (rs1376251) which has been associated with cardiovascular disease. The observation of naturally occurring functional variation in the T2Rs with the greatest expression in the heart is important, as their discovery should prove useful in deciphering the role of T2Rs within the cardiovascular system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conor J Bloxham
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, QLD, Australia; Regenerative Medicine in Cardiovascular Diseases, First Department of Medicine, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Germany
| | - Katina D Hulme
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, Faculty of Science, University of Queensland, QLD, Australia; Department of Medical Microbiology, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Fabrizio Fierro
- Institute of Biochemistry, Food Science and Nutrition, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Christian Fercher
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, University of Queensland, QLD, Australia
| | - Cassandra L Pegg
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, Faculty of Science, University of Queensland, QLD, Australia
| | - Shannon L O'Brien
- Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom; Centre of Membrane Proteins and Receptors (COMPARE), Universities of Nottingham and Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Simon R Foster
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, QLD, Australia; QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, QLD, Australia
| | - Kirsty R Short
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, Faculty of Science, University of Queensland, QLD, Australia
| | - Sebastian G B Furness
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, QLD, Australia; Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Melissa E Reichelt
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, QLD, Australia
| | - Masha Y Niv
- Institute of Biochemistry, Food Science and Nutrition, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Walter G Thomas
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Queensland, QLD, Australia.
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Miller ZA, Mueller A, Kim T, Jolivert JF, Ma RZ, Muthuswami S, Park A, McMahon DB, Nead KT, Carey RM, Lee RJ. Lidocaine induces apoptosis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma through activation of bitter taste receptor T2R14. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113437. [PMID: 37995679 PMCID: PMC10842818 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113437] [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: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) have high mortality and significant treatment-related morbidity. It is vital to discover effective, minimally invasive therapies that improve survival and quality of life. Bitter taste receptors (T2Rs) are expressed in HNSCCs, and T2R activation can induce apoptosis. Lidocaine is a local anesthetic that also activates bitter taste receptor 14 (T2R14). Lidocaine has some anti-cancer effects, but the mechanisms are unclear. Here, we find that lidocaine causes intracellular Ca2+ mobilization through activation of T2R14 in HNSCC cells. T2R14 activation with lidocaine depolarizes mitochondria, inhibits proliferation, and induces apoptosis. Concomitant with mitochondrial Ca2+ influx, ROS production causes T2R14-dependent accumulation of poly-ubiquitinated proteins, suggesting that proteasome inhibition contributes to T2R14-induced apoptosis. Lidocaine may have therapeutic potential in HNSCCs as a topical gel or intratumor injection. In addition, we find that HPV-associated (HPV+) HNSCCs are associated with increased TAS2R14 expression. Lidocaine treatment may benefit these patients, warranting future clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoey A Miller
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Pharmacology Graduate Group, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Arielle Mueller
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - TaeBeom Kim
- Department of Epidemiology, Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jennifer F Jolivert
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Ray Z Ma
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Sahil Muthuswami
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - April Park
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Derek B McMahon
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Kevin T Nead
- Department of Epidemiology, Division of Cancer Prevention and Population Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ryan M Carey
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Robert J Lee
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Physiology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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Ren T, Li B, Xu F, Chen Z, Lu M, Tan S. Research on the Effect of Oriental Fruit Moth Feeding on the Quality Degradation of Chestnut Rose Juice Based on Metabolomics. Molecules 2023; 28:7170. [PMID: 37894648 PMCID: PMC10608842 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28207170] [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: 08/19/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
As a native fruit of China, chestnut rose (Rosa roxburghii Tratt) juice is rich in bioactive ingredients. Oriental fruit moth (OFM), Grapholita molesta (Busck), attacks the fruits and shoots of Rosaceae plants, and its feeding affects the quality and yield of chestnut rose. To investigate the effects of OFM feeding on the quality of chestnut rose juice, the bioactive compounds in chestnut rose juice produced from fruits eaten by OFM were measured. The electronic tongue senses, amino acid profile, and untargeted metabolomics assessments were performed to explore changes in the flavour and metabolites. The results showed that OFM feeding reduced the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), tannin, vitamin C, flavonoid, and condensed tannin; increased those of polyphenols, soluble solids, total protein, bitterness, and amounts of bitter amino acids; and decreased the total amino acid and umami amino acid levels. Furthermore, untargeted metabolomics annotated a total of 426 differential metabolites (including 55 bitter metabolites), which were mainly enriched in 14 metabolic pathways, such as flavonoid biosynthesis, tryptophan metabolism, tyrosine metabolism, and diterpenoid biosynthesis. In conclusion, the quality of chestnut rose juice deteriorated under OFM feeding stress, the levels of bitter substances were significantly increased, and the bitter taste was subsequently enhanced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingyuan Ren
- School of Liquor and Food Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China; (B.L.); (F.X.); (Z.C.); (M.L.); (S.T.)
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Talmon M, Massara E, Quaregna M, De Battisti M, Boccafoschi F, Lecchi G, Puppo F, Bettega Cajandab MA, Salamone S, Bovio E, Boldorini R, Riva B, Pollastro F, Fresu LG. Bitter taste receptor (TAS2R) 46 in human skeletal muscle: expression and activity. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1205651. [PMID: 37771728 PMCID: PMC10522851 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1205651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Bitter taste receptors are involved not only in taste perception but in various physiological functions as their anatomical location is not restricted to the gustatory system. We previously demonstrated expression and activity of the subtype hTAS2R46 in human airway smooth muscle and broncho-epithelial cells, and here we show its expression and functionality in human skeletal muscle cells. Three different cellular models were used: micro-dissected human skeletal tissues, human myoblasts/myotubes and human skeletal muscle cells differentiated from urine stem cells of healthy donors. We used qPCR, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence analysis to evaluate gene and protein hTAS2R46 expression. In order to explore receptor activity, cells were incubated with the specific bitter ligands absinthin and 3ß-hydroxydihydrocostunolide, and calcium oscillation and relaxation were evaluated by calcium imaging and collagen assay, respectively, after a cholinergic stimulus. We show, for the first time, experimentally the presence and functionality of a type 2 bitter receptor in human skeletal muscle cells. Given the tendentially protective role of the bitter receptors starting from the oral cavity and following also in the other ectopic sites, and given its expression already at the myoblast level, we hypothesize that the bitter receptor can play an important role in the development, maintenance and in the protection of muscle tissue functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Talmon
- Department of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
| | - Erika Massara
- Department of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
| | - Martina Quaregna
- Department of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
| | - Marta De Battisti
- Department of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
| | - Francesca Boccafoschi
- Department of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
| | - Giulia Lecchi
- Department of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
| | - Federico Puppo
- Department of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
| | | | - Stefano Salamone
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
| | - Enrica Bovio
- Department of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
| | - Renzo Boldorini
- Department of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
| | - Beatrice Riva
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
| | - Federica Pollastro
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
| | - Luigia G. Fresu
- Department of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
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Fierro F, Peri L, Hübner H, Tabor-Schkade A, Waterloo L, Löber S, Pfeiffer T, Weikert D, Dingjan T, Margulis E, Gmeiner P, Niv MY. Inhibiting a promiscuous GPCR: iterative discovery of bitter taste receptor ligands. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:114. [PMID: 37012410 PMCID: PMC11072104 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-04765-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
The human GPCR family comprises circa 800 members, activated by hundreds of thousands of compounds. Bitter taste receptors, TAS2Rs, constitute a large and distinct subfamily, expressed orally and extra-orally and involved in physiological and pathological conditions. TAS2R14 is the most promiscuous member, with over 150 agonists and 3 antagonists known prior to this study. Due to the scarcity of inhibitors and to the importance of chemical probes for exploring TAS2R14 functions, we aimed to discover new ligands for this receptor, with emphasis on antagonists. To cope with the lack of experimental structure of the receptor, we used a mixed experimental/computational methodology which iteratively improved the performance of the predicted structure. The increasing number of active compounds, obtained here through experimental screening of FDA-approved drug library, and through chemically synthesized flufenamic acid derivatives, enabled the refinement of the binding pocket, which in turn improved the structure-based virtual screening reliability. This mixed approach led to the identification of 10 new antagonists and 200 new agonists of TAS2R14, illustrating the untapped potential of rigorous medicinal chemistry for TAS2Rs. 9% of the ~ 1800 pharmaceutical drugs here tested activate TAS2R14, nine of them at sub-micromolar concentrations. The iterative framework suggested residues involved in the activation process, is suitable for expanding bitter and bitter-masking chemical space, and is applicable to other promiscuous GPCRs lacking experimental structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizio Fierro
- The Institute of Biochemistry, Food Science and Nutrition, Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Lior Peri
- The Institute of Biochemistry, Food Science and Nutrition, Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Harald Hübner
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Str. 10, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Alina Tabor-Schkade
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Str. 10, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Lukas Waterloo
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Str. 10, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Stefan Löber
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Str. 10, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Tara Pfeiffer
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Str. 10, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Dorothee Weikert
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Str. 10, 91058, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Tamir Dingjan
- The Institute of Biochemistry, Food Science and Nutrition, Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Eitan Margulis
- The Institute of Biochemistry, Food Science and Nutrition, Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Peter Gmeiner
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Medicinal Chemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Str. 10, 91058, Erlangen, Germany.
| | - Masha Y Niv
- The Institute of Biochemistry, Food Science and Nutrition, Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel.
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Qin C, Yuan Q, Han H, Chen C, Wu J, Wei X, Liu M, Zhang H, Ping J, Xu L, Wang P. Biomimetic integrated gustatory and olfactory sensing array based on HL-1 cardiomyocyte facilitating drug screening for tachycardia treatment. Biosens Bioelectron 2023; 223:115034. [PMID: 36574741 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2022.115034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The ectopic co-expression of taste and olfactory receptors in cardiomyocytes provides not only possibilities for the construction of biomimetic gustatory and olfactory sensors but also promising novel therapeutic targets for tachycardia treatment. Here, bitter taste and olfactory receptors endogenously expressed in HL-1 cells were verified by RT-PCR and immunofluorescence staining. Then HL-1 cardiomyocyte-based integrated gustatory and olfactory sensing array coupling with the microelectrode array (MEA) was first constructed for drugs screening and evaluation for tachycardia treatment. The MEA sensor detected the extracellular field potentials and reflected the systolic-diastolic properties of cardiomyocytes in real time in a label-free and non-invasive way. The in vitro tachycardia model was constructed using isoproterenol as the stimulator. The proposed sensing array facilitated potential drug screening for tachycardia treatment, such as salicin, artemisinin, xanthotoxin, and azelaic acid which all activated specific receptors on HL-1 cells. IC50 values for four potential drugs were calculated to be 0.0036 μM, 309.8 μM, 14.68 μM, and 0.102 μM, respectively. Visualization analysis with heatmaps and PCA cluster showed that different taste and odorous drugs could be easily distinguished. The mean inter-class Euclidean distance between different bitter drugs was 1.681, which was smaller than the distance between bitter and odorous drugs of 2.764. And the inter-class distance was significantly higher than the mean intra-class Euclidean distance of 1.172. In summary, this study not only indicates a new path for constructing novel integrated gustatory and olfactory sensors but also provides a powerful tool for the quantitative evaluation of potential drugs for tachycardia treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunlian Qin
- College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China; ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Hangzhou, 311200, China
| | - Qunchen Yuan
- Biosensor National Special Laboratory, Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Haote Han
- ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Hangzhou, 311200, China
| | - Changming Chen
- Biosensor National Special Laboratory, Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Jianguo Wu
- Biosensor National Special Laboratory, Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Xinwei Wei
- ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Hangzhou, 311200, China
| | - Mengxue Liu
- Biosensor National Special Laboratory, Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Hong Zhang
- Biosensor National Special Laboratory, Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China
| | - Jianfeng Ping
- College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China; ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Hangzhou, 311200, China
| | - Lizhou Xu
- College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China; ZJU-Hangzhou Global Scientific and Technological Innovation Center, Hangzhou, 311200, China.
| | - Ping Wang
- Biosensor National Special Laboratory, Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China.
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10
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Mao Z, Cheng W, Li Z, Yao M, Sun K. Clinical Associations of Bitter Taste Perception and Bitter Taste Receptor Variants and the Potential for Personalized Healthcare. Pharmgenomics Pers Med 2023; 16:121-132. [PMID: 36819962 PMCID: PMC9936560 DOI: 10.2147/pgpm.s390201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/13/2023] Open
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziwen Mao
- Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Children’s Genetics and Metabolic Diseases, Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China,Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Weyland Cheng
- Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Children’s Genetics and Metabolic Diseases, Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China,Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China,Correspondence: Weyland Cheng, Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Children’s Genetics and Metabolic Diseases, Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou Children’s Hospital, 33 Longhu Waihuan East Road, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 18502758200, Email
| | - Zhenwei Li
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Manye Yao
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Keming Sun
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China
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11
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Welcome MO, Dogo D, Nikos E Mastorakis. Cellular mechanisms and molecular pathways linking bitter taste receptor signalling to cardiac inflammation, oxidative stress, arrhythmia and contractile dysfunction in heart diseases. Inflammopharmacology 2023; 31:89-117. [PMID: 36471190 PMCID: PMC9734786 DOI: 10.1007/s10787-022-01086-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Heart diseases and related complications constitute a leading cause of death and socioeconomic threat worldwide. Despite intense efforts and research on the pathogenetic mechanisms of these diseases, the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms are yet to be completely understood. Several lines of evidence indicate a critical role of inflammatory and oxidative stress responses in the development and progression of heart diseases. Nevertheless, the molecular machinery that drives cardiac inflammation and oxidative stress is not completely known. Recent data suggest an important role of cardiac bitter taste receptors (TAS2Rs) in the pathogenetic mechanism of heart diseases. Independent groups of researchers have demonstrated a central role of TAS2Rs in mediating inflammatory, oxidative stress responses, autophagy, impulse generation/propagation and contractile activities in the heart, suggesting that dysfunctional TAS2R signalling may predispose to cardiac inflammatory and oxidative stress disorders, characterised by contractile dysfunction and arrhythmia. Moreover, cardiac TAS2Rs act as gateway surveillance units that monitor and detect toxigenic or pathogenic molecules, including microbial components, and initiate responses that ultimately culminate in protection of the host against the aggression. Unfortunately, however, the molecular mechanisms that link TAS2R sensing of the cardiac milieu to inflammatory and oxidative stress responses are not clearly known. Therefore, we sought to review the possible role of TAS2R signalling in the pathophysiology of cardiac inflammation, oxidative stress, arrhythmia and contractile dysfunction in heart diseases. Potential therapeutic significance of targeting TAS2R or its downstream signalling molecules in cardiac inflammation, oxidative stress, arrhythmia and contractile dysfunction is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Menizibeya O Welcome
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Nile University of Nigeria, Plot 681 Cadastral Zone, C-00 Research and Institution Area, Jabi Airport Road Bypass, FCT, Abuja, Nigeria.
| | - Dilli Dogo
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Nile University of Nigeria, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Nikos E Mastorakis
- Technical University of Sofia, Klement Ohridksi 8, Sofia, 1000, Bulgaria
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12
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Talmon M, Pollastro F, Fresu LG. The Complex Journey of the Calcium Regulation Downstream of TAS2R Activation. Cells 2022; 11:cells11223638. [PMID: 36429066 PMCID: PMC9688576 DOI: 10.3390/cells11223638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Bitter taste receptors (TAS2Rs) have recently arisen as a potential drug target for asthma due to their localization in airway cells. These receptors are expressed in all cell types of the respiratory system comprising epithelial, smooth muscle and immune cells; however, the expression pattern of the subtypes is different in each cell type and, accordingly, so is their role, for example, anti-inflammatory or bronchodilator. The most challenging aspect in studying TAS2Rs has been the identification of the downstream signaling cascades. Indeed, TAS2R activation leads to canonical IP3-dependent calcium release from the ER, but, alongside, there are other mechanisms that differ according to the histological localization. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the cytosolic calcium modulation downstream of TAS2R activation in the epithelial, smooth muscle and immune cells of the airway system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Talmon
- Department of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy
- Correspondence: (M.T.); (L.G.F.); Tel.: +39-0321-660589 (M.T.); +39-0321-660687 (L.G.F.)
| | - Federica Pollastro
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale, Largo Donegani 2/3, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Luigia Grazia Fresu
- Department of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Piemonte Orientale, Via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy
- Correspondence: (M.T.); (L.G.F.); Tel.: +39-0321-660589 (M.T.); +39-0321-660687 (L.G.F.)
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13
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Liu S, Grierson D, Xi W. Biosynthesis, distribution, nutritional and organoleptic properties of bitter compounds in fruit and vegetables. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2022; 64:1934-1953. [PMID: 36099178 DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2022.2119930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Compounds that confer a bitter taste on fruits and vegetables (FAVs) play crucial roles in both plant defense and health promotion. This review details the current knowledge of the distribution, properties (toxicity, pharmacological effects and receptors) and environmental plant responses relating to the biosynthesis, catabolism and transcriptional regulation of 53 bitter plant metabolites in diverse species of FAVs. Some bitter compounds, such as flavonoids, are common in all plant species and make a minor contribution to bitter flavor, but many are synthesized only in specific taxa. They make major contributions to the bitter taste of the corresponding species and some also have significant pharmacological effects. Levels of bitter metabolites are genetically determined, but various environmental cues can affect their final concentration during preharvest development and postharvest storage processes. Molecular approaches are helping to unravel the mechanisms of biosynthesis and regulation of bitter compounds in diverse crop species. This review not only discusses the theoretical basis for utilizing breeding programs and other agricultural technologies to produce FAVs with improved safety, favorable taste and healthier profiles, but also suggests new directions for the utilization of bitter compounds in FAVs for the development of natural pesticides and health-promoting medicines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengyu Liu
- College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Donald Grierson
- Plant & Crop Sciences Division, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Loughborough, UK
| | - Wanpeng Xi
- College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Horticulture Science for Southern Mountainous Regions, Chongqing, China
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14
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Peng S, Li J, Huo M, Cao Y, Chen Z, Zhang Y, Qiao Y. Identification of the material basis of the medicinal properties in Curcuma Longa L. to enhance targeted clinical application. JOURNAL OF TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICAL SCIENCES 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jtcms.2022.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
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15
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Czigle S, Bittner Fialová S, Tóth J, Mučaji P, Nagy M. Treatment of Gastrointestinal Disorders-Plants and Potential Mechanisms of Action of Their Constituents. Molecules 2022; 27:2881. [PMID: 35566230 PMCID: PMC9105531 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27092881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The worldwide prevalence of gastrointestinal diseases is about 40%, with standard pharmacotherapy being long-lasting and economically challenging. Of the dozens of diseases listed by the Rome IV Foundation criteria, for five of them (heartburn, dyspepsia, nausea and vomiting disorder, constipation, and diarrhoea), treatment with herbals is an official alternative, legislatively supported by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). However, for most plants, the Directive does not require a description of the mechanisms of action, which should be related to the therapeutic effect of the European plant in question. This review article, therefore, summarizes the basic pharmacological knowledge of synthetic drugs used in selected functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) and correlates them with the constituents of medicinal plants. Therefore, the information presented here is intended as a starting point to support the claim that both empirical folk medicine and current and decades-old treatments with official herbal remedies have a rational basis in modern pharmacology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Szilvia Czigle
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, Comenius University Bratislava, Odbojárov 10, SK-832 32 Bratislava, Slovakia; (S.B.F.); (J.T.); (P.M.); (M.N.)
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16
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Dong H, Liu J, Zhu J, Zhou Z, Tizzano M, Peng X, Zhou X, Xu X, Zheng X. Oral Microbiota-Host Interaction Mediated by Taste Receptors. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:802504. [PMID: 35425718 PMCID: PMC9004699 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.802504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Taste receptors, originally identified in taste buds, function as the periphery receptors for taste stimuli and play an important role in food choice. Cohort studies have revealed that single nucleotide polymorphisms of taste receptors such as T1R1, T1R2, T2R38 are associated with susceptibility to oral diseases like dental caries. Recent studies have demonstrated the wide expression of taste receptors in various tissues, including intestinal epithelia, respiratory tract, and gingiva, with an emerging role of participating in the interaction between mucosa surface and microorganisms via monitoring a wide range of metabolites. On the one hand, individuals with different oral microbiomes exhibited varied taste sensitivity, suggesting a potential impact of the oral microbiota composition on taste receptor function. On the other hand, animal studies and in vitro studies have uncovered that a variety of oral cells expressing taste receptors such as gingival solitary chemosensory cells, gingival epithelial cells (GECs), and gingival fibroblasts can detect bacterial signals through bitter taste receptors to trigger host innate immune responses, thus regulating oral microbial homeostasis. This review focuses on how taste receptors, particularly bitter and sweet taste receptors, mediate the oral microbiota-host interaction as well as impact the occurrence and development of oral diseases. Further studies delineating the role of taste receptors in mediating oral microbiota-host interaction will advance our knowledge in oral ecological homeostasis establishment, providing a novel paradigm and treatment target for the better management of dental infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiaxin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Cariology and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jianhui Zhu
- Stomatology Hospital, School of Stomatology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases of Zhejiang Province, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Research of Zhejiang Province, Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhiyan Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Cariology and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Marco Tizzano
- Basic and Translation Sciences, Penn Dental Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Xian Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xuedong Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Cariology and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xin Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Cariology and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- *Correspondence: Xin Zheng, ; Xin Xu,
| | - Xin Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Department of Cariology and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- *Correspondence: Xin Zheng, ; Xin Xu,
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17
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Kulichová I, Mouterde M, Mokhtar MG, Diallo I, Tříska P, Diallo YM, Hofmanová Z, Poloni ES, Černý V. Demographic history was a formative mechanism of the genetic structure for the taste receptor TAS2R16 in human populations inhabiting Africa's Sahel/Savannah Belt. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2022; 177:540-555. [PMID: 34846066 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2021] [Revised: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Mode of subsistence is an important factor influencing dietary habits and the genetic structure of various populations through differential intensity of gene flow and selection pressures. Previous studies suggest that in Africa Taste 2 Receptor Member 16 (TAS2R16), which encodes the 7-transmembrane receptor protein for bitterness, might also be under positive selection pressure. METHODS However, since sampling coverage of populations was limited, we created a new TAS2R16 population dataset from across the African Sahel/Savannah belt representing various local populations of differing subsistence modes, linguistic affiliations, and geographic provenience. We sequenced the TAS2R16 exon gene and analyzed 2250 haplotypes among 19 populations. RESULTS We found no evidence for selection as a driving force of genetic variation at this locus; instead, we discovered a highly significant correlation between TAS2R16 genetic and geographical distances based on provenience of the sampled populations, strongly suggesting that genetic drift most likely prevailed over positive selection at this specific locus. We also found significant correlations with other independent loci, mainly in sedentary farmers. DISCUSSION Our results do not support the notion that the genetic diversity of TAS2R16 in Sahelian populations was shaped by selective pressures. This could result from several alternative and not mutually exclusive mechanisms, of which the possibility that, due to the pleiotropic nature of TAS2R16, selective pressures on other traits could counterbalance those acting on bitter taste perception, or that the change of diet in the Neolithic generally relaxed selective pressure on this gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iva Kulichová
- Archaeogenetics Laboratory, Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic.,Department of Anthropology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Médéric Mouterde
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Anthropology Unit, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Mohammed G Mokhtar
- Arabic Department, Faculty of Arts, University of Kordofan, Al-Ubayyid, Sudan
| | - Issa Diallo
- Département de Linguistique et Langues Nationales, Institut des Sciences des Sociétés, CNRST, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Petr Tříska
- Archaeogenetics Laboratory, Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Yoro Mame Diallo
- Archaeogenetics Laboratory, Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic.,Department of Anthropology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Zuzana Hofmanová
- Department of Archaeogenetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.,Department of Archaeology and Museology, Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Estella S Poloni
- Department of Genetics and Evolution, Anthropology Unit, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Institute of Genetics and Genomics of Geneva (iGE3), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Viktor Černý
- Archaeogenetics Laboratory, Institute of Archaeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic
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18
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Zhou Z, Xi R, Liu J, Peng X, Zhao L, Zhou X, Li J, Zheng X, Xu X. TAS2R16 Activation Suppresses LPS-Induced Cytokine Expression in Human Gingival Fibroblasts. Front Immunol 2022; 12:726546. [PMID: 34975834 PMCID: PMC8714777 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.726546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Sustained and non-resolved inflammation is a characteristic of periodontitis. Upon acute inflammation, gingival fibroblasts release cytokines to recruit immune cells to counter environmental stimuli. The intricate regulation of pro-inflammatory signaling pathways, such as NF-κB, is necessary to maintain periodontal homeostasis. Nonetheless, how inflammation is resolved has not yet been elucidated. In this study, 22 subtypes of taste receptor family 2 (TAS2Rs), as well as the downstream machineries of Gα-gustducin and phospholipase C-β2 (PLCβ2), were identified in human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs). Various bitter agonists could induce an intensive cytosolic Ca2+ response in HGFs. More importantly, TAS2R16 was expressed at a relatively high level, and its agonist, salicin, showed robust Ca2+ evocative effects in HGFs. Activation of TAS2R16 signaling by salicin inhibited the release of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines, at least in part, by repressing LPS-induced intracellular cAMP elevation and NF-κB p65 nuclear translocation in HGFs. These findings indicate that TAS2Rs activation in HGFs may mediate endogenous pro-inflammation resolution by antagonizing NF-κB signaling, providing a novel paradigm and treatment target for the better management of periodontitis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyan Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Cariology and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Ranhui Xi
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Cariology and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiaxin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Cariology and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xian Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lei Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Periodontology, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xuedong Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Cariology and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiyao Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Cariology and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xin Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Cariology and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xin Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.,Department of Cariology and Endodontics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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19
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Qiao Y, Zhang Y, Peng S, Huo M, Li J, Cao Y, Chen Z. Property theory of Chinese materia medica: Clinical pharmacodynamics of traditional Chinese medicine. JOURNAL OF TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICAL SCIENCES 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jtcms.2022.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
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20
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Activation of specific bitter taste receptors by olive oil phenolics and secoiridoids. Sci Rep 2021; 11:22340. [PMID: 34785711 PMCID: PMC8595653 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-01752-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) is a critical component of the Mediterranean diet, which has been found beneficial to human health. Bitterness is often positively associated with the presence of phenolic compounds in EVOO. There are twenty-five bitter taste receptors (TAS2Rs) in humans, each of which responds to specific bitter tastants. The identity of phenolic compounds and the bitter taste receptors they stimulate remain unknown. In this study, we isolated 12 phenolic and secoiridoid compounds from the olive fruit and the oil extracted from it, and tested their ability to stimulate bitter taste receptor activity, using a calcium mobilization functional assay. Our results showed that seven out of twelve studied compounds activated TAS2R8, and five of them activated TAS2R1, TAS2R8, and TAS2R14. The phenolic compounds oleuropein aglycon and ligstroside aglycon were the most potent bitter tastants in olive oil. TAS2R1 and TAS2R8 were the major bitter taste receptors activated most potently by these phenolic compounds. The results obtained here could be utilized to predict and control the bitterness of olive oil based on the concentration of specific bitter phenolics produced during the milling process of olives.
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21
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Thomas DC, Chablani D, Parekh S, Pichammal RC, Shanmugasundaram K, Pitchumani PK. Dysgeusia: A review in the context of COVID-19. J Am Dent Assoc 2021; 153:251-264. [PMID: 34799014 PMCID: PMC8595926 DOI: 10.1016/j.adaj.2021.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2021] [Revised: 08/07/2021] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Background Taste disorders in general, and dysgeusia in particular, are relatively common disorders that may be a sign of a more complex acute or chronic medical condition. During the COVID-19 pandemic, taste disorders have found their way into the realm of general as well as specialty dentistry, with significance in screening for patients who potentially may have the virus. Types of Studies Reviewed The authors searched electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Google Scholar) for studies focused on dysgeusia, ageusia, and other taste disorders and their relationship to local and systemic causes. Results The authors found pertinent literature explaining the normal physiology of taste sensation, proposals for suggested new tastes, presence of gustatory receptors in remote tissues of the body, and etiology and pathophysiology of taste disorders, in addition to the valuable knowledge gained about gustatory disorders in the context of COVID-19. Along with olfactory disorders, taste disorders are one of the earliest suggestive symptoms of COVID-19 infection. Conclusions Gustatory disorders are the result of local or systemic etiology or both. Newer taste sensations, such as calcium and fat tastes, have been discovered, as well as taste receptors that are remote from the oropharyngeal area. Literature published during the COVID-19 pandemic to date reinforces the significance of early detection of potential patients with COVID-19 by means of screening for recent-onset taste disorders. Practical Implications Timely screening and identification of potential gustatory disorders are paramount for the dental care practitioner to aid in the early diagnosis of COVID-19 and other serious systemic disorders.
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22
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D'Urso O, Drago F. Pharmacological significance of extra-oral taste receptors. Eur J Pharmacol 2021; 910:174480. [PMID: 34496302 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2021.174480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
It has recently been shown that taste receptors, in addition to being present in the oral cavity, exist in various extra-oral organs and tissues such as the thyroid, lungs, skin, stomach, intestines, and pancreas. Although their physiological function is not yet fully understood, it appears that they can help regulate the body's homeostasis and provide an additional defense function against pathogens. Since the vast majority of drugs are bitter, the greatest pharmacological interest is in the bitter taste receptors. In this review, we describe how bitter taste 2 receptors (TAS2Rs) induce bronchodilation and mucociliary clearance in the airways, muscle relaxation in various tissues, inhibition of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in thyrocytes, and release of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and ghrelin in the digestive system. In fact, substances such as dextromethorphan, chloroquine, methimazole and probably glimepiride, being agonists of TAS2Rs, lead to these effects. TAS2Rs and taste 1 receptors (TAS1R2/3) are G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR). TAS1R2/3 are responsible for sweet taste perception and may induce GLP-1 release and insulin secretion. Umami taste receptors, belonging to the same superfamily of receptors, perform a similar function with regard to insulin. The sour and salty taste receptors work in a similar way, both being channel receptors sensitive to amiloride. Finally, gene-protein coupled receptor 40 (GPR40) and GPR120 for fatty taste perception are also protein-coupled receptors and may induce GLP-1 secretion and insulin release, similar to those of other receptors belonging to the same superfamily.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ottavio D'Urso
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia, 97, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Filippo Drago
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Via S. Sofia, 97, 95125 Catania, Italy.
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23
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Wei X, Jiang D, Chen C, Wu J, Qin C, Yuan Q, Xue Y, Xiong Y, Zhuang L, Hu N, Wang P. Hybrid Integrated Cardiomyocyte Biosensors for Bitter Detection and Cardiotoxicity Assessment. ACS Sens 2021; 6:2593-2604. [PMID: 34253023 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.1c00158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Among basic taste sensations, bitter taste is vital to the survival of mammals due to its indispensable role in toxin prediction or identification, so the identification of bitter compounds is of great value in the pharmaceutical and food industry. Recently, bitter taste receptor (T2Rs)-based biosensors have been developed for specific bitter detection. However, the taste biosensors based on taste cells/tissues suffer from simple function, low sensitivity, low content, and limited parameters. Here, to establish a high-content, highly sensitive, and multifunctional taste biosensor, we developed a multifunctional hybrid integrated cardiomyocyte biosensor (HICB) for bitter detection. Due to the expression of bitter taste receptors in cardiomyocytes, the HICB can recognize the specific bitter agonists by synchronously recording the extracellular field potential (EFP) and mechanical beating (MB) signals from the cultured cardiomyocytes in vitro. Multiple feature parameters were defined and extracted from the electromechanical signals of cardiomyocytes to analyze the specific responses to four typical bitter compounds. The radar map, heat map, and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to visualize and classify the specific responses. Moreover, bitter-induced cardiotoxicity also was chronically evaluated, and these bitter compounds presented an inhibition effect on the electrophysiological and contractile activities of cardiomyocytes. This high-content HICB offers an alternative platform for both bitter detection and cardiotoxicity assessment, showing promising applications in the fields of taste detection and toxicity screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinwei Wei
- Biosensor National Special Laboratory, Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Deming Jiang
- Biosensor National Special Laboratory, Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Changming Chen
- Biosensor National Special Laboratory, Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Jianguo Wu
- Biosensor National Special Laboratory, Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Chunlian Qin
- Biosensor National Special Laboratory, Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Qunchen Yuan
- Biosensor National Special Laboratory, Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Yingying Xue
- Biosensor National Special Laboratory, Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Yizhou Xiong
- Biosensor National Special Laboratory, Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Liujing Zhuang
- Biosensor National Special Laboratory, Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Ning Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials and Technologies, Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Display Material and Technology, School of Electronics and Information Technology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Ping Wang
- Biosensor National Special Laboratory, Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
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24
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Dong X, Liang Q, Li J, Feng P. Positive selection drives the evolution of a primate bitter taste receptor gene. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:5459-5467. [PMID: 34026020 PMCID: PMC8131804 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Revised: 02/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Bitter taste perception is important in food choice of animals, and it is mediated by bitter taste receptor (T2R) containing three regions: extracellular regions (ECs), transmembrane regions (TMs), and intracellular regions (ICs). It is hypothesized that ECs, TMs, and ICs are under different selective pressures, with ECs being unstable while TMs and ICs being constrained. To test this hypothesis, we examined the selective pressures on one of the bitter taste receptor genes-T2R1 and its different areas from 35 primates and found that T2R1 was under neutral evolution but with some positively selected sites in it. Further analyses suggested that TMs, ICs, and the concatenated transmembrane region TM1237 were under purifying selection; in contrast, extracellular regions, the first and second extracellular loop (EL1, EL2), were subject to positive selection with several positively selected sites in them. Therefore, this study supported the above-mentioned hypothesis. The reason why EL1 and EL2 of T2R1 have positively selected sites is probably due to their participation in forming the cap-like structure involved in ligand binding. Positive selection acts as a driving force of the T2R1 functional differentiation and confers the ability to discern various bitter substances for primates, which could help them to adapt to the changing environment during the evolutionary course.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Dong
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University)Ministry of EducationGuilinChina
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Rare and Endangered Animal EcologyGuangxi Normal UniversityGuilinChina
| | - Qiufang Liang
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University)Ministry of EducationGuilinChina
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Rare and Endangered Animal EcologyGuangxi Normal UniversityGuilinChina
| | - Jiaping Li
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University)Ministry of EducationGuilinChina
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Rare and Endangered Animal EcologyGuangxi Normal UniversityGuilinChina
| | - Ping Feng
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University)Ministry of EducationGuilinChina
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Rare and Endangered Animal EcologyGuangxi Normal UniversityGuilinChina
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25
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Cheng W, Yao M, Liu F. Bitter Taste Receptor as a Therapeutic Target in Orthopaedic Disorders. Drug Des Devel Ther 2021; 15:895-903. [PMID: 33679130 PMCID: PMC7926036 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s289614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-gustatory, extraoral bitter taste receptors (T2Rs) are G-protein coupled receptors that are expressed throughout the body and have various functional responses when stimulated by bitter agonists. Presently, T2Rs have been found to be expressed in osteoclasts and osteocytes where osteoclasts were capable of detecting bacterial quorum-sensing molecules through the T2R38 isoform. In the innate immune system, stimulating T2Rs induces anti-inflammatory and anti-pathogenic effects through the phospholipase C/inositol triphosphate pathway, which leads to intracellular calcium release from the endoplasmic reticulum. The immune cells with functional responses to T2R activation also play a role in bone inflammation and orthopaedic disorders. Furthermore, increasing intracellular calcium levels in bone cells through T2R activation can potentially influence bone formation and resorption. With recent studies finding T2R expression in bone cells, we examine the potential of targeting this receptor to treat bone inflammation and to promote bone anabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weyland Cheng
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China
- Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Children’s Genetics and Metabolic Diseases, Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Manye Yao
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Fangna Liu
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, Henan Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou Children’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, People’s Republic of China
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26
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Yousefsani BS, Jamshidi A, Dadmehr M. Herbal medicine in cardiovascular medicine: a discussion of herbal medications described by the Persian physician, Avicenna. Eur Heart J 2021; 42:3037-3039. [PMID: 33638634 DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehab053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Bahareh Sadat Yousefsani
- School of Persian Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Research Institute for Islamic and Complementary Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amirhossein Jamshidi
- School of Persian Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Research Institute for Islamic and Complementary Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Majid Dadmehr
- School of Persian Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Research Institute for Islamic and Complementary Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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27
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Margulis E, Dagan-Wiener A, Ives RS, Jaffari S, Siems K, Niv MY. Intense bitterness of molecules: Machine learning for expediting drug discovery. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2020; 19:568-576. [PMID: 33510862 PMCID: PMC7807207 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2020.12.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug development is a long, expensive and multistage process geared to achieving safe drugs with high efficacy. A crucial prerequisite for completing the medication regimen for oral drugs, particularly for pediatric and geriatric populations, is achieving taste that does not hinder compliance. Currently, the aversive taste of drugs is tested in late stages of clinical trials. This can result in the need to reformulate, potentially resulting in the use of more animals for additional toxicity trials, increased financial costs and a delay in release to the market. Here we present BitterIntense, a machine learning tool that classifies molecules into "very bitter" or "not very bitter", based on their chemical structure. The model, trained on chemically diverse compounds, has above 80% accuracy on several test sets. Our results suggest that about 25% of drugs are predicted to be very bitter, with even higher prevalence (~40%) in COVID19 drug candidates and in microbial natural products. Only ~10% of toxic molecules are predicted to be intensely bitter, and it is also suggested that intense bitterness does not correlate with hepatotoxicity of drugs. However, very bitter compounds may be more cardiotoxic than not very bitter compounds, possessing significantly lower QPlogHERG values. BitterIntense allows quick and easy prediction of strong bitterness of compounds of interest for food, pharma and biotechnology industries. We estimate that implementation of BitterIntense or similar tools early in drug discovery process may lead to reduction in delays, in animal use and in overall financial burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eitan Margulis
- The Institute of Biochemistry, Food Science and Nutrition, The Robert H Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Ayana Dagan-Wiener
- The Institute of Biochemistry, Food Science and Nutrition, The Robert H Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Robert S Ives
- Comparative & Translational Sciences, GlaxoSmithKline, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage SG1 2NY, United Kingdom
| | - Sara Jaffari
- Product Development & Supply, GlaxoSmithKline, Park Road, Ware, SG12 0DP, United Kingdom
| | | | - Masha Y Niv
- The Institute of Biochemistry, Food Science and Nutrition, The Robert H Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel
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28
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Giuliani C, Franceschi C, Luiselli D, Garagnani P, Ulijaszek S. Ecological Sensing Through Taste and Chemosensation Mediates Inflammation: A Biological Anthropological Approach. Adv Nutr 2020; 11:1671-1685. [PMID: 32647890 PMCID: PMC7666896 DOI: 10.1093/advances/nmaa078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Revised: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecological sensing and inflammation have evolved to ensure optima between organism survival and reproductive success in different and changing environments. At the molecular level, ecological sensing consists of many types of receptors located in different tissues that orchestrate integrated responses (immune, neuroendocrine systems) to external and internal stimuli. This review describes emerging data on taste and chemosensory receptors, proposing them as broad ecological sensors and providing evidence that taste perception is shaped not only according to sense epitopes from nutrients but also in response to highly diverse external and internal stimuli. We apply a biological anthropological approach to examine how ecological sensing has been shaped by these stimuli through human evolution for complex interkingdom communication between a host and pathological and symbiotic bacteria, focusing on population-specific genetic diversity. We then focus on how these sensory receptors play a major role in inflammatory processes that form the basis of many modern common metabolic diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and aging. The impacts of human niche construction and cultural evolution in shaping environments are described with emphasis on consequent biological responsiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Giuliani
- Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences (BiGeA), Laboratory of Molecular Anthropology and Centre for Genome Biology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Alma Mater Research Institute on Global Challenges and Climate Change (Alma Climate), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Claudio Franceschi
- Laboratory of Systems Medicine of Healthy Aging and Department of Applied Mathematics, Lobachevsky University, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
| | - Donata Luiselli
- Alma Mater Research Institute on Global Challenges and Climate Change (Alma Climate), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Cultural Heritage (DBC), Laboratory of Ancient DNA (aDNALab), Campus of Ravenna, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Paolo Garagnani
- Alma Mater Research Institute on Global Challenges and Climate Change (Alma Climate), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic, and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Clinical Chemistry, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet at Huddinge University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Stanley Ulijaszek
- School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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