title: Sensing developing biofilms: the bitter receptor T2R38 on myeloid cells.
abstract: Quorum-sensing molecules, also known as autoinducer, are essential for bacterial biofilm formation. Our focus is on N-(3-oxododecanoyl)-L-homoserine lactone (AHL-12), because it is also known as an 'interkingdom signalling molecule', which means that it also interacts with mammalian cells. AHL-12 activates defence-relevant functions of phagocytic cells, including enhancement of phagocytosis, increased expression of adhesion receptors and induction of chemotaxis. This leads to the hypothesis that early recognition of developing biofilms might be the key to a successful host defence against biofilm infection. In that context we studied activation of phagocytic cells by AHL-12, and found that phagocytes are activated via a rather specialized receptor that was not previously described on myeloid cells, the bitter taste receptor T2R38. Taste receptors are commonly associated with cells of the gustatory system. The extragustatory expression, however, suggests an additional role, namely the sensing of the onset of bacterial biofilm infection.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Pathology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 224, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias Martin
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Gaida
authors.affiliation: Center for Orthopaedics, Trauma Surgery and Spinal Cord Injury, Heidelberg University Hospital Schlierbacher Landstrasse 200a, 69118 Heidelberg, Germany Ulrike.Dapunt@med.uni-heidelberg.de.
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Dapunt
authors.affiliation: Institute for Immunology, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 305, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Gertrud Maria
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Hänsch
mesh_terms: D015107:4-Butyrolactone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D018441:Biofilms / Q000254:growth & development*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002633:Chemotaxis / Q000502:physiology; D018922:HL-60 Cells; D006714:Homoserine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D066292:Lipid Droplets / Q000378:metabolism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology*; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology*; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000276:immunology; D019038:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIb-IX Complex / Q000096:biosynthesis; D053038:Quorum Sensing / Q000502:physiology*; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D020298:U937 Cells; D000098706:Taste Receptors, Type 2
chemical_list: C109860:N-(3-oxododecanoyl)homoserine lactone; D019038:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIb-IX Complex; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; C094990:adhesion receptor; D000098706:Taste Receptors, Type 2; D006714:Homoserine; D015107:4-Butyrolactone
keywords: AHL-12; T2R38; biofilm; bitter receptor; innate immune response; lipid droplets