title: Variability in Human Bitter Taste Sensitivity to Chemically Diverse Compounds Can Be Accounted for by Differential TAS2R Activation.
abstract: The human population displays high variation in taste perception. Differences in individual taste sensitivity may also impact on nutrient intake and overall appetite. A well-characterized example is the variable perception of bitter compounds such as 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) and phenylthiocarbamide (PTC), which can be accounted for at the molecular level by polymorphic variants in the specific type 2 taste receptor (TAS2R38). This phenotypic variation has been associated with influencing dietary preference and other behaviors, although the generalization of PROP/PTC taster status as a predictor of sensitivity to other tastes is controversial. Here, we proposed that the taste sensitivities of different bitter compounds would be correlated only when they activate the same bitter taste receptor. Thirty-four volunteers were exposed to 8 bitter compounds that were selected based on their potential to activate overlapping and distinct repertoires of TAS2Rs. Taste intensity ratings were evaluated using the general Labeled Magnitude Scale. Our data demonstrate a strong interaction between the intensity for bitter substances when they activate common TAS2Rs. Consequently, PROP/PTC sensitivity was not a reliable predictor of general bitter sensitivity. In addition, our findings provide a novel framework to predict taste sensitivity based on their specific T2R activation profile.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Nutrition and Food Sciences, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia, e.roura@uq.edu.au.
authors.forename: Eugeni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Roura
authors.affiliation: Centre for Nutrition and Food Sciences, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia, School of Agriculture and Food Science, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: Asya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aldayyani
authors.affiliation: Centre for Nutrition and Food Sciences, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: Pridhuvi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Thavaraj
authors.affiliation: School of Agriculture and Food Science, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: Sangeeta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Prakash
authors.affiliation: School of Agriculture and Food Science, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: Delma
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Greenway
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia and.
authors.forename: Walter G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics, German Institute of Human Nutrition (DIfE) Potsdam-Rehbruecke, Nuthetal, Germany.
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Meyerhof
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Genetics, German Institute of Human Nutrition (DIfE) Potsdam-Rehbruecke, Nuthetal, Germany.
authors.forename: Natacha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Roudnitzky
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia and.
authors.forename: Simon R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Foster
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010670:Phenylthiourea / Q000494:pharmacology; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D011441:Propylthiouracil / Q000494:pharmacology; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D055697:Taste Perception / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult; D000098706:Taste Receptors, Type 2
chemical_list: D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; D000098706:Taste Receptors, Type 2; D010670:Phenylthiourea; D011441:Propylthiouracil
keywords: PROP; TAS2R; bitter taste; gLMS; hypertaster; hypotaster