Rapid Throughput Concentration-Response Analysis of Human Taste Discrimination
R Kyle Palmer1, Mariah M Stewart2, John Talley2
1Opertech Bio, Inc., Pennovation Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania kpalmer@opertechbio.com.
The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
|January 20, 2021
Summary
Human taste threshold tests may not accurately reflect receptor function. A new automated method for taste discrimination shows concentration-response analysis is more reliable for understanding taste receptor activity than simple detection thresholds.
Area of Science:
- Sensory science
- Human psychophysics
- Receptor pharmacology
Background:
- Taste threshold measurements are commonly used to assess human tastant receptor function.
- However, these measurements can be confounded by non-receptor-related variables.
- Analyzing the full concentration-response range of taste perception via discrimination has been logistically challenging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate an automated, high-throughput operant methodology for human taste discrimination.
- To apply this method for concentration-response analysis of human taste perception.
- To compare the reliability of taste discrimination concentration-response functions versus threshold measurements for inferring receptor function.
Main Methods:
- Developed an automated operant system using a 96-well plate for tastant delivery.
- Subjects self-administered tastant solutions as discriminative stimuli for money-reinforced responses.
- Established concentration-response functions and calculated EC50 values for various sweeteners, including agonists of the TAS1R2/TAS1R3 receptor.
Main Results:
- Robust concentration-response functions were established for sweeteners like rebaudioside A, sucralose, and acesulfame potassium.
- Signal detection analysis yielded discriminability values (d') indicating detection limits for sucrose.
- Little correlation was found between individual threshold sensitivities and EC50 values for sucrose.
Conclusions:
- Automated taste discrimination enables rigorous concentration-response analysis in humans.
- Concentration-response functions derived from taste discrimination are more indicative of underlying receptor activity than traditional threshold measurements.
- This methodology offers a more reliable approach to characterizing tastant agonist activity and inferring human taste receptor functionality.
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