Taste bud leptin: sweet dampened at initiation site.
The intriguing observation that leptin decreases sweet-evoked peripheral gustatory responses has aroused much interest (Kawai K, Sugimoto K, Nakashima K, Miura H, Ninomiya Y. 2000. Leptin as a modulator of sweet taste sensitivities in mice. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 97(20):11044-11049.) due to its implied importance in controlling appetite. The effects of this anorexic hormone, however, appear more conditional than originally believed. In this issue of Chemical Senses, a careful study by Glendinning and colleagues, find no effects of leptin on sweet-evoked chorda tympani responses, whereas an equally careful study by Meredith and colleagues, find decreased release of ATP and increased release of 5-HT from taste buds in response to sweet stimuli.
Division of Biosciences, College of Dentistry, The Ohio State University, 305W 12th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43210, USA and travers.3@osu.edu.
Susan P
SP
Travers
Department of Oral Health, UCONN Health Center, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06030, USA.
Marion E
ME
Frank
D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D013549:Sweetening Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013649:Taste / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D013650:Taste Buds / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014059:Tongue / Q000378:metabolism*
D020738:Leptin; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D013549:Sweetening Agents; D002118:Calcium
chorda tympani; leptin; taste bud