Elucidation of high-calorie taste mechanism that connects food intake disorder and addiction

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20H03855
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 57010:Oral biological science-related
• Research Institution: Tokyo Dental College Junior College
• Principal Investigator: Yasumatsu Keiko 東京歯科大学短期大学, 歯科衛生学科, 教授 (50380704)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 渡部 文子 東京慈恵会医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (00334277) ; 永井 由美子 東京歯科大学短期大学, 歯科衛生学科, 講師 (30777488) ; 自見 英治郎 九州大学, 歯学研究院, 教授 (40276598)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 味覚 / 脂肪味 / 舌咽神経 / GPR120 / CD36

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Why do humans eat unnecessary high-calorie foods? In this study, we aimed to explore the regulation of fat taste sensitivity, and investigated which receptors are involved in preference for fatty acids with focus on the hedonic aspects.
When the correlation coefficient was calculated between the detection threshold for human oleic acid and all questionnaire items, there was a significant correlation between averaged dietary fat intake over the last three days and no correlation with BMI. Multiple SNPs were detected in a whole exome sequencing of GPR120.It was revealed that fatty acids applied to the tongue are transmitted to the brain as sweet and umami taste by mouse glossopharyngeal nerve, and that CD36 and GPR40 play a role as their receptors.

Free Research Field

口腔生理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

脂肪味は甘味等と同様に体に必要なカロリーをもたらすシグナルであるが、その美味しさのために摂りすぎることが問題となっている。脂肪酸の味覚の快不快を決めている要素として受容体の関与が大きいことが本研究からわかった。特にCD36、GPR40による受容は嗜好的な摂取につながることを証明した。さらに脂肪酸への感受性を決める要素として、最近の食事内容とGPR120の遺伝子変異の可能性が高まった。これらは摂食調節への脂肪味の役割を示唆している。