Salty taste coding in the taste bud

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• 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
• Keywords: 味覚 / 塩味 / イオンチャネル / ENaC

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.

Free Research Field

生理学

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。