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Taste Exam: A Brief and Validated Test
Published on: August 17, 2018
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Lipopolysaccharide increases bitter taste sensitivity via epigenetic changes in
Cailu Lin1, Masafumi Jyotaki1, John Quinlan1
1Monell Chemical Senses Center, 3500 Market St., Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
Iscience
|June 7, 2023
Summary
Inflammation upregulates bitter taste receptors (Tas2Rs), increasing responses to bitter compounds. This suggests epigenetic regulation of Tas2r genes may explain heightened bitter taste during infections.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Neuroscience
- Immunology
Background:
- T2R bitter receptors (Tas2rs) are crucial for taste and defense.
- Regulation of Tas2r gene expression remains largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the regulation of Tas2r gene expression during inflammation.
- Explore the epigenetic mechanisms linking inflammation and altered bitter taste.
Main Methods:
- Lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation model in mice.
- Quantitative analysis of Tas2r expression.
- Single-cell assays for transposase-accessible chromatin with sequencing (scATAC-seq).
Main Results:
- Inflammation significantly upregulated many Tas2rs and enhanced bitter taste responses.
- scATAC-seq revealed cell-type-specific chromatin accessibility changes in Tas2rs.
- Lipopolysaccharide increased Tas2r chromatin accessibility and induced remodeling in immune genes within taste stem cells.
Conclusions:
- Epigenetic mechanisms connect inflammation, Tas2r gene regulation, and altered bitter taste.
- Findings may explain heightened bitter taste associated with infections and cancer treatments.
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