Correlation analysis of genetic polymorphism of human bitter-taste receptor TAS2R and that of hepatic detoxification enzyme GST

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25660096
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Food science
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: KOMAI MICHIO 東北大学, (連合)農学研究科(研究院), 教授 (80143022)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): SHIRAKAWA Hitoshi 東北大学, 大学院農学研究科, 准教授 (40206280) ; GOTO Tomoko 東北大学, 大学院農学研究科, 助教 (00342783)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 苦味受容体TAS2R / 遺伝子多型 / アブラナ科植物 / 苦味物質 / 解毒酵素 / 苦味感受性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Many epidemiological studies have shown that isothiocyanate compounds in the cruciferous plant prevents cancer incidence rate. If the taster of this bitter compounds by TAS2R, bitter taste receptor, the intake of this compound may decrease due to its too much bitterness sensation during eating. Another possibility is hepatic glutathione S-transferase (GST) polymorphism. The latter one is involved in the detoxification mechanism of isothiocyanate compounds after eating in the liver, i.e., we cannot eat cruciferous plants if the GST activity is low due to the enzyme polymorphism. Therefore, we analyzed the relationship of TAS2Rs and GSTs polymorphism in human volunteer, and intended to clarify the mechanism involved in the individual difference of cruciferous plant acceptability. Up to now, we found that the SNP of TAS2R 38 had a close relationship to broccoli bitterness.

Free Research Field

農芸化学、食品科学