Elucidation of the mechanism of chemotherapy induced dysgeusia and development of screening system for foods

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K11075
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 59040:Nutrition science and health science-related
• Research Institution: The University of Tokushima
• Principal Investigator: TSUTSUMI Rie 徳島大学, 大学院医歯薬学研究部(医学域), 講師 (80510172)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 堤 保夫 広島大学, 医系科学研究科(医), 教授 (90523499)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 味覚 / T1R3

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We have previously reported that lingeal taste receptor T1R3 gene expression reflects taste sensitivity and is reduced by chemotherapy.During this study period, we found that glutamate supplementation was efficient.Furthermore, we aimed to establish a screening system to find nutritional foods other than glutamate.　Using medaka fish with taste bud cells from the lips to the gills, medaka was knocked-in GFP tagged T1R3 gene were created by the Crisper / Cas9 system.　This made it possible to visualize T1R3 expression and evaluate changes in gene expression by fluorescence intensity. By breeding T1R3 KI medaka in water in which some drugs or food components were dissolved, several components that fluctuate T1R3 gene expression could be found.

Free Research Field

栄養学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

味覚障害は化学療法や感染症、低栄養など様々な要因で発症するが、QOLを低下させ、低栄養を助長する深刻な問題である。しかしながらこれまで、その機序に対する根本的治療アプローチはなく、有効な治療方法が確立されていなかった。本研究成果は、味覚障害の改善に有効な食品成分を見出す第一歩となり、治療食や支持療法の確立に寄与するものである。