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Characterization of bitter taste responses of intestinal STC-1 cells

Ikuo Masuho1, Michihiro Tateyama, Osamu Saitoh

  • 1Department of Bio-Science, Faculty of Bio-Science, Nagahama Institute of Bio-Science and Technology, Shiga 526-0829, Japan.

Chemical Senses
|March 3, 2005
PubMed

Insights

STC-1 cells, a model for bitter taste research, respond to denatonium and caffeine via phospholipase C (PLC) signaling. G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 (GRK2) differentially regulates these bitter taste pathways.

Area of Science:

  • Cellular biology
  • Neuroscience
  • Sensory science

Background:

  • Bitter taste perception involves complex cellular signaling pathways.
  • The specific mechanisms of caffeine's bitter taste signaling are not fully understood.
  • STC-1 cells are a potential model for studying taste receptor cell responses.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate cellular responses of STC-1 cells to bitter tastants denatonium and caffeine.
  • To elucidate the role of phospholipase C (PLC) and G protein-coupled receptor kinases (GRKs) in bitter taste signaling.
  • To establish STC-1 cells as a model for studying bitter taste mechanisms.

Main Methods:

  • Calcium-imaging technique to monitor cellular responses.
  • Dose-dependent stimulation with denatonium, caffeine, and bombesin.
  • Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for receptor detection.
  • Inhibition studies using a PLC inhibitor.
  • Degenerate-primer PCR to identify GRKs.
  • Overexpression of GRK2 in STC-1 cells.

Main Results:

  • STC-1 cells exhibited dose-dependent responses to denatonium, caffeine, and bombesin.
  • Denatonium receptor mRNA was detected in STC-1 cells.
  • PLC was essential for all investigated signaling pathways.
  • GRK2 was identified in STC-1 cells and taste bud cells.
  • GRK2 overexpression inhibited bombesin response but not denatonium response.
  • GRK2 partially inhibited caffeine response at high concentrations.

Conclusions:

  • STC-1 cells serve as a valuable cell model for investigating bitter taste signaling mechanisms.
  • PLC plays a critical role in the cellular response to bitter tastants.
  • GRK2 differentially regulates signaling pathways activated by different bitter compounds, offering insights into taste receptor modulation.

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