Denatonium benzoate bitter taste perception in chronic rhinosinusitis subgroups

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Otorhinolaryngology
• Sensory Science

Background:

• Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) encompasses subtypes like CRSsNP and CRSwNP, alongside AERD, each with distinct inflammatory profiles.
• Solitary chemosensory cells (SCCs) in nasal polyps are a key source of IL-25, driving type 2 inflammation and activated by denatonium benzoate (DB).

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate denatonium benzoate (DB) taste perception across different concentrations in CRS subgroups and controls.
• To identify a specific DB concentration that effectively differentiates CRS subtypes from healthy individuals.

Main Methods:

• A sensory study involving patients with CRSsNP, CRSwNP, AERD, and healthy controls tasting six concentrations of DB.
• Quantification of IL-25 levels in sinonasal epithelial cultures stimulated with DB using flow cytometry.

Main Results:

• CRSsNP patients exhibited significantly lower DB taste intensity compared to controls across all tested concentrations.
• AERD patients reported significantly higher DB taste intensity at specific concentrations (1.00 × 10^-8 M and 3.16 × 10^-8 M) versus controls.
• In vitro stimulation with DB significantly increased IL-25 positive cells in sinonasal tissue.

Conclusions:

• Differential DB taste perception (hyposensitivity in CRSsNP, hypersensitivity in AERD) is linked to IL-25 levels in CRS.
• A DB concentration of 3.16 × 10^-8 M is proposed for future clinical utility studies in differentiating CRS subgroups.