title: Acid-sensitive two-pore domain potassium (K2P) channels in mouse taste buds.
abstract: Sour (acid) taste is postulated to result from intracellular acidification that modulates one or more acid-sensitive ion channels in taste receptor cells. The identity of such channel(s) remains uncertain. Potassium channels, by regulating the excitability of taste cells, are candidates for acid transducers. Several 2-pore domain potassium leak conductance channels (K(2)P family) are sensitive to intracellular acidification. We examined their expression in mouse vallate and foliate taste buds using RT-PCR, and detected TWIK-1 and -2, TREK-1 and -2, and TASK-1. Of these, TWIK-1 and TASK-1 were preferentially expressed in taste cells relative to surrounding nonsensory epithelium. The related TRESK channel was not detected, whereas the acid-insensitive TASK-2 was. Using confocal imaging with pH-, Ca(2+)-, and voltage-sensitive dyes, we tested pharmacological agents that are diagnostic for these channels. Riluzole (500 microM), selective for TREK-1 and -2 channels, enhanced acid taste responses. In contrast, halothane (< or = approximately 17 mM), which acts on TREK-1 and TASK-1 channels, blocked acid taste responses. Agents diagnostic for other 2-pore domain and voltage-gated potassium channels (anandamide, 10 microM; Gd(3+), 1 mM; arachidonic acid, 100 microM; quinidine, 200 microM; quinine, 100 mM; 4-AP, 10 mM; and TEA, 1 mM) did not affect acid responses. The expression of 2-pore domain channels and our pharmacological characterization suggest that a matrix of ion channels, including one or more acid-sensitive 2-pore domain K channels, could play a role in sour taste transduction. However, our results do not unambiguously identify any one channel as the acid taste transducer.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Miami School of Medicine, 1600 NW 10th Avenue, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
authors.forename: Trevor A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.forename: Gennady A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Dvoryanchikov
authors.forename: Nirupa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chaudhari
authors.forename: Stephen D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Roper
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019343:Citric Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D024683:Potassium Channels, Tandem Pore Domain; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D013649:Taste / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013650:Taste Buds / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: C486372:Kcnk1 protein, mouse; C503445:Kcnk10 protein, mouse; D015221:Potassium Channels; D024683:Potassium Channels, Tandem Pore Domain; C103742:potassium channel protein TREK-1; D019343:Citric Acid