Salty taste coding in the taste bud

• Project/Area Number: 16K18991
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: General physiology
• Research Institution: Ritsumeikan University (2018); Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine (2016-2017)
• Principal Investigator: Sun Hongxin 立命館大学, 総合科学技術研究機構, 研究員 (20773542)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2018)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,030,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥930,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥910,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥210,000); Fiscal Year 2017: ¥910,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥210,000); Fiscal Year 2016: ¥2,210,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥510,000)
• Keywords: 味覚 / 塩味 / イオンチャネル / ENaC / 生理学 / 感覚系

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We studied to elucidate the molecular mechanism of ENaC-dependent salty taste acceptance, which determines the taste of salt, leads to excessive salt intake and induces hypertension. In expression analysis, we found that the pore-forming α subunit of ENaC is expressed in a cell type different from the conventionally known taste cell , and furthermore, the expression of a group of proteins responsible for excitability in ENaC-expressing cells, We succeeded in observing these molecular functions in functional analysis, and obtained results suggesting the mechanism of intracellular signaling and neurotransmission of salty taste receptor cells.
We have also succeeded in creating ENaC knockout mice that are selective for cell types, and have begun to verify the role of salty taste cells identified using taste behavior experiments, neural response recording, etc. on an individual level.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

味覚は我々の食行動を調節するため、高血圧・肥満・糖尿病・脂質異常症などの多くの生活習慣病の発症や進行に深く関わる。本研究は、高血圧症に関わる食塩摂取量を調節する塩味感覚についての現在の最重要課題『味蕾における塩味受容の細胞基盤の解明』に資する結果を得た。今後、本研究成果を足がかりに塩味受容の細胞分子メカニズムが明らかになれば、塩味感覚のコントロールのための分子標的が与えられ、創薬や食品科学など多分野の研究開発の促進につながり、ひいては高血圧症予防によって国民の健康増進に資することが期待できる。

Research Products

• [Int'l Joint Research] コペンハーゲン大学(デンマーク)
• [Int'l Joint Research] コペンハーゲン大学(デンマーク)
• [Journal Article] Bioconjugation strategy for cell surface labelling with gold nanostructures designed for highly localized pH measurement. (2018)
  • Author(s): Leonardo Puppulin, Shigekuni Hosogi, Hongxin Sun, Kazuhiko Matsuo, Toshio Inui, Yasuaki Kumamoto, Toshinobu Suzaki, Hideo Tanaka and Yoshinori Marunaka
  • Journal Title: Nature Communications Volume: 9 Issue: 1 Pages: 5278-5278
  • DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07726-5
  • NAID: 120006549200
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Post-translational palmitoylation controls the voltage gating and lipid raft association of the CALHM1 channel. (2017)
  • Author(s): Taruno A, Sun H, Nakajo K, Murakami T, Ohsaki Y, Kido MA, Ono F, Marunaka Y.
  • Journal Title: Journal of Physiology Volume: 595 Issue: 18 Pages: 6121-6145
  • DOI: 10.1113/jp274164
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Raman micro-spectroscopy as a viable tool to monitor and estimate the ionic transport in epithelial cells (2017)
  • Author(s): Puppulin P, Pezzotti G, Sun H, Hosogi S, Nakahari T, Inui T, Kumamoto Y, Tanaka H, MARUNAKA Y
  • Journal Title: Scientific Reports Volume: -
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Journal Article] Analysis of aprotinin, a protease inhibitor, action on the trafficking of epithelial Na+ channels (ENaC) in renal epithelial cells using a mathematical model. (2017)
  • Author(s): Sasamoto, K., Marunaka, R. #, Niisato, N., Sun, H., Taruno, A., Pezzotti, G., Yamamoto, T., Kanamura, N., Zhu, W., Nishio, K., Inui, T., Eaton, D.C., & Marunaka, Y.
  • Journal Title: Cell Physiol Biochem Volume: 41 Issue: 5 Pages: 1865-1880
  • DOI: 10.1159/000471934
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Journal Article] Actions of quercetin, a polyphenol, on blood pressure. (2017)
  • Author(s): Marunaka, Y., Marunaka, R., Sun, H., Yamamoto, T., Kanamura, N., Inui, T. & Taruno, A.
  • Journal Title: Molecules Volume: 22 Issue: 2 Pages: 209-209
  • DOI: 10.3390/molecules22020209
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Journal Article] Adeno-Associated Virus-Mediated Gene Transferinto Taste Cells In Vivo (2017)
  • Author(s): Taruno A, Kashio M, Sun H, Kobayashi K, Sano H, Nambu A, Marunaka Y
  • Journal Title: Chemical Senses Volume: 42 Pages: 69-78
  • DOI: 10.1093/chemse/bjw101
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Journal Article] Na+ homeostasis by epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC) and Nax channel (Nax): cooperation of ENaC and Nax. (2016)
  • Author(s): Marunaka, Y., Marunaka, R., Sun, H., Yamamoto, T., Kanamura, N. & Taruno, A..
  • Journal Title: Ann Transl Med. Volume: 4 Issue: S1 Pages: S11-S11
  • DOI: 10.21037/atm.2016.10.42
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Journal Article] Quercetin is a useful medicinal compound showing various actions including control of blood pressure, neurite elongation and epithelial ion transport. (2016)
  • Author(s): Marunaka, Y., Niisato, N., Miyazaki, H., Nakajima, K., Taruno, A., Sun, H., Marunaka, R., Okui., M., Yamamoto, T., Kanamura, N., Kogiso, H., Ikeuchi, Y., Kashio, M., Hosogi, S. & Nakahari, T.
  • Journal Title: Curr Med Chem. Volume: 23 Issue: 37 Pages: 1-12
  • DOI: 10.2174/0929867323666160919095043
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Presentation] Involvement of EP receptors in the regulation of Short circuit current by prostaglandins in A6 cells. (2019)
  • Author(s): Sun Hongxin ; Marunaka Yoshinori ; Asano Shinji
  • Organizer: The 96th Annual Meeting of the Physiological Society of Japan,
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Regulation of CALHM1 channel gating and association with lipid microdomains by protein S-palmitoylation (2018)
  • Author(s): Hongxin Sun, Akiyuki Taruno, Koichi Nakajo, Fumihito Ono, Yoshinori Marunaka
  • Organizer: 第95回日本生理学会大会
• [Presentation] S-palmitoylation of CALHM3 positively controls activity of the CALHM1/3 channel (2018)
  • Author(s): Motoki OKUI, Akiyuki TARUNO, Hongxin SUN, Yoshinori MARUNAKA
  • Organizer: 第95回日本生理学会大会
• [Presentation] S-palmitoylation of CALHM3 positively controls activity of the CALHM1/3 channel (2017)
  • Author(s): Motoki OKUI, Akiyuki TARUNO, Hongxin SUN, Yoshinori MARUNAKA
  • Organizer: 第110回近畿生理学談話会
• [Presentation] Palmitoylation regulates gating and lipid raft association of CALHM1 channel (2017)
  • Author(s): Sun H, Taruno A, Nakajo K, Ono F, Marunaka Y
  • Organizer: The 94th Annual Meeting of the Physiological Society of Japan.
  • Place of Presentation: Hamamatsu.
• [Presentation] Raman spectroscopy as a viable tool to monitor the effect of aldosterone on A6 renal epithelial cell (2017)
  • Author(s): Puppulin L, Pezzotti G, Sun H, Hosogi S, Nakahari T, Kumamoto Y, Tanaka H, Marunaka Y
  • Organizer: The 94th Annual Meeting of the Physiological Society of Japan.
  • Place of Presentation: Hamamatsu.
• [Presentation] Homologous CALHM subunits assemble to form a novel voltage-gated ATP channel (2016)
  • Author(s): Taruno A, Miyazaki H, Niisato N,Sun H, Kashio M, Marunaka Y.
  • Organizer: 第39回日本神経科学大会
  • Place of Presentation: 横浜
  • Year and Date: 2016-07-20
• [Presentation] Regulation of CALHM1 channel by protein S-palmitoylation. (2016)
  • Author(s): Taruno A, Sun Hongxin, Kashio M, Marunaka Y.
  • Organizer: 17th ISOT JASTS 50th Annual Meeting.
  • Place of Presentation: Yokohama
  • Year and Date: 2016-06-05
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Adeno-associated virus-mediated gene transduction of taste cells in vivo. (2016)
  • Author(s): Kashio M, Taruno A, Sun Hongxin, Kobayashi K, Sano H, Nambu A, Marunaka Y
  • Organizer: 17th ISOT JASTS 50th Annual Meeting.
  • Place of Presentation: Yokohama
  • Year and Date: 2016-06-05
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Insulin is involved in transcriptional regulation of NKCC and the CFTR Cl- channel through PI3K activation and ERK inactivation in renal epithelial cells (2016)
  • Author(s): Sun H, Niisato N, Marunaka Y.
  • Organizer: International Symposium on Ion Channels, Transporters and Signal Transduction.
  • Place of Presentation: Kyoto
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Regulation of CALHM channels by N-linked glycosylation (2016)
  • Author(s): Taruno A, Sun H, Kashio M, Marunaka Y.
  • Organizer: International Symposium on Ion Channels, Transporters and Signal Transduction
  • Place of Presentation: Kyoto
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] Regulation of CALHM1 channel by protein S-palmitoylation (2016)
  • Author(s): Taruno A, Sun H, Marunaka Y.
  • Organizer: International Symposium on Ion Channels, Transporters and Signal Transduction
  • Place of Presentation: Kyoto
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] S-パルミトイル化修飾によるCALHM1チャネル機能制御 (2016)
  • Author(s): Taruno A, Sun H, Kashio M, Marunaka Y.
  • Organizer: 日本膜学会第39 年会
  • Place of Presentation: 東京
• [Remarks] 京都府立医科大学細胞生理学website
  • URL: http://kpum-molecular-cell-physiology.info