title: Expression of the synaptic exocytosis-regulating molecule complexin 2 in taste buds and its participation in peripheral taste transduction.
abstract: Taste information from type III taste cells to gustatory neurons is thought to be transmitted via synapses. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying taste transduction through this pathway have not been fully elucidated. In this study, to identify molecules that participate in synaptic taste transduction, we investigated whether complexins (Cplxs), which play roles in regulating membrane fusion in synaptic vesicle exocytosis, were expressed in taste bud cells. Among four Cplx isoforms, strong expression of Cplx2 mRNA was detected in type III taste cells. To investigate the function of CPLX2 in taste transduction, we observed taste responses in CPLX2-knockout mice. When assessed with electrophysiological and behavioral assays, taste responses to some sour stimuli in CPLX2-knockout mice were significantly lower than those in wild-type mice. These results suggested that CPLX2 participated in synaptic taste transduction from type III taste cells to gustatory neurons. A part of taste information is thought to be transmitted via synapses. However, the molecular mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. To identify molecules that participate in synaptic taste transduction, we investigated complexins (Cplxs) expression in taste bud cells. Strong expression of Cplx2 mRNA was detected in taste bud cells. Furthermore, taste responses to some sour stimuli in CPLX2- knockout mice were significantly lower than those in wild-type mice. These suggested that CPLX2 participated in synaptic taste transduction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Azusa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kurokawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Masataka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Narukawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ohmoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Joto
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yoshimoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.|Kanagawa Academy of Science and Technology, Kanagawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Biological Chemistry, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Takumi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Misaka
mesh_terms: D033942:Adaptor Proteins, Vesicular Transport / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D005089:Exocytosis / Q000502:physiology; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D040542:Mechanotransduction, Cellular; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013569:Synapses / Q000378:metabolism; D013649:Taste / Q000502:physiology*; D013650:Taste Buds / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D033942:Adaptor Proteins, Vesicular Transport; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C095993:complexin II
keywords: CPLX2; sour; taste