Taste buds and neuronal markers in patients with chronic renal failure.
OBJECTIVE
To study the number of taste buds and, with the use of specific markers for peripheral nervous tissue, to study the neuronal pattern in taste buds from 36 patients with chronic renal failure (CRF), 19 renal transplant recipients, and 40 healthy subjects. Of the patients with CRF, 17 patients had not started dialysis, 12 patients were on peritoneal dialysis, and 7 patients were on hemodialysis.


METHODS
From all subjects, two or three fungiform papillae were collected from the anterior part of the tongue. Cryostat sections were cut and inspected under light microscopy to determine the presence of taste buds. The sections were subsequently incubated with primary rabbit antibodies against protein gene product 9.5, substance P, and nerve growth factor receptor.


RESULTS
Using these antibodies, no differences between the groups were observed. However, patients with CRF had fewer taste buds than control subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
No immunohistochemical differences were observed between patients with CRF and healthy controls. However, patients with CRF had significantly fewer fungiform taste buds, suggesting an important factor contributing to the well-known impairment of taste acuity in this patient group.
Department of Neuroscience, Karolinska Institute, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
J
J
Astbäck
A
A
Fernström
B
B
Hylander
K
K
Arvidson
O
O
Johansson
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D010530:Peritoneal Dialysis; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor / Q000032:analysis*; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D013373:Substance P / Q000032:analysis*; D013649:Taste; D013650:Taste Buds / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology*; D013869:Thiolester Hydrolases / Q000032:analysis*; D043222:Ubiquitin Thiolesterase
D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor; D013373:Substance P; D013869:Thiolester Hydrolases; D043222:Ubiquitin Thiolesterase