title: Inflammation and taste disorders: mechanisms in taste buds.
abstract: Taste disorders, including taste distortion and taste loss, negatively impact general health and quality of life. To understand the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms, we set out to identify inflammation-related molecules in taste tissue and to assess their role in the development of taste dysfunctions. We found that 10 out of 12 mammalian Toll-like receptors (TLRs), type I and II interferon (IFN) receptors, and their downstream signaling components are present in taste tissue. Some TLRs appear to be selectively or more abundantly expressed in taste buds than in nongustatory lingual epithelium. Immunohistochemistry with antibodies against TLRs 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7 confirmed the presence of these receptor proteins in taste bud cells, of which TLRs 2, 3, and 4 are expressed in the gustducin-expressing type II taste bud cells. Administration of TLR ligands, lipopolysaccharide, and double-stranded RNA polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid, which mimics bacterial or viral infection, activates the IFN signaling pathways, upregulates the expression of IFN-inducible genes, and downregulates the expression of c-fos in taste buds. Finally, systemic administration of IFNs augments apoptosis of taste bud cells in mice. Taken together, these data suggest that TLR and IFN pathways function collaboratively in recognizing pathogens and mediating inflammatory responses in taste tissue. This process, however, may interfere with normal taste transduction and taste bud cell turnover and contributes to the development of taste disorders.
authors.affiliation: Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA. hwang@monell.org
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Minliang
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Brand
authors.forename: Liquan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers; D007249:Inflammation / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051379:Mice; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013650:Taste Buds / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013651:Taste Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D051193:Toll-Like Receptors
references.citation: J Neurosci. 2003 Sep 3;23(22):7967-73
references.pmid: 12954857
references.citation: Endocrinology. 2008 Sep;149(9):4402-12
references.pmid: 18499758
references.citation: Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol. 2007 Jun;292(6):G1770-83
references.pmid: 17395901
references.citation: J Contemp Dent Pract. 2003 Feb 15;4(1):10-31
references.pmid: 12595930
references.citation: N C Med J. 1997 Mar-Apr;58(2):100-4
references.pmid: 9088135
references.citation: Gastroenterology. 1976 Apr;70(4):568-71
references.pmid: 1254140
references.citation: Oncol Nurs Forum. 1999 May;26(4):697-706
references.pmid: 10337648
references.citation: Handb Exp Pharmacol. 2008;(183):21-50
references.pmid: 18071653
references.citation: Pharmacol Ther. 2003 Oct;100(1):1-29
references.pmid: 14550502
references.citation: Cancer. 1986 Apr 15;57(8 Suppl):1709-15
references.pmid: 3948143
references.citation: Sci STKE. 2007 Sep 04;2007(402):pe47
references.pmid: 17785714
references.citation: Cell. 1994 Jun 17;77(6):829-39
references.pmid: 8004672
references.citation: Semin Immunol. 2007 Feb;19(1):24-32
references.pmid: 17275323
references.citation: Mol Immunol. 2007 May;44(12):3100-11
references.pmid: 17403538
references.citation: Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 2003 Nov;112(11):971-8
references.pmid: 14653367
references.citation: Nat Neurosci. 1999 Dec;2(12):1055-62
references.pmid: 10570481
references.citation: Nature. 1995 Oct 19;377(6550):591-4
references.pmid: 7566171
references.citation: Clin J Oncol Nurs. 2002 Mar-Apr;6(2):73-7
references.pmid: 11889680
references.citation: Cell. 1994 Jan 28;76(2):253-62
references.pmid: 8293462
references.citation: Med Clin North Am. 1999 Jan;83(1):57-74
references.pmid: 9927960
references.citation: J Neurosci. 2007 Oct 3;27(40):10703-13
references.pmid: 17913904
references.citation: Annu Rev Immunol. 2005;23:307-36
references.pmid: 15771573
references.citation: Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 1975 Sep-Oct;84(5 Pt 1):672-82
references.pmid: 1190677
references.citation: Physiol Behav. 1995 Aug;58(2):287-93
references.pmid: 7568432
references.citation: Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2005 Dec 23;338(3):1402-9
references.pmid: 16263085
references.citation: Cancer Immunol Immunother. 1989;28(3):213-7
references.pmid: 2784356
references.citation: Am J Otolaryngol. 1983 May-Jun;4(3):187-216
references.pmid: 6349404
references.citation: Eur J Clin Nutr. 2004 Apr;58(4):629-36
references.pmid: 15042131
references.citation: J Biol Chem. 2006 Oct 13;281(41):31002-11
references.pmid: 16880211
references.citation: Physiol Behav. 1995 Jan;57(1):89-96
references.pmid: 7878130
references.citation: Nature. 1995 Jul 6;376(6535):37-43
references.pmid: 7596430
references.citation: Brain Res Bull. 1997;44(2):155-65
references.pmid: 9292205
references.citation: Behav Brain Res. 2004 May 5;151(1-2):73-82
references.pmid: 15084423
references.citation: Postgrad Med. 1987 Jan;81(1):251-7, 260
references.pmid: 3809040