title: ALTERATION OF TASTE BUDS IN EXPERIMENTAL CIRRHOSIS. Is there correlation with human hypogeusia?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The inherent complications of cirrhosis include protein-calorie malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies.Changes in taste are detrimental to the nutritional status, and the mechanism to explain these changes is not well documented in the cirrhotic patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the taste buds of cirrhotic rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen male Wistar rats were evaluated. After 16 weeks, the liver was removed to histologically diagnose cirrhosis, and blood was collected to perform liver integrity tests. The tongue was removed for histological examination and immunohistochemistry using antibodies against protein gene product PGP 9.5 and the sweet taste receptors T1R2 and T1R3. Morphological changes were determined by scanning electron microscopy. Serum zinc levels were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The cirrhotic animals, but not the control animals, exhibited zinc deficiency. In both groups, there was positive immunoreactivity for type II and III cells and T1R2 receptors. The cirrhotic animals had no immunoreactivity for T1R3 receptors. Scanning electron microscopy analysis of the cirrhotic group revealed a uniform tapering of the gustatory papillae.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In conclusion the experimental cirrhosis model mimicked the biochemical and histological parameters of human cirrhosis, therefore enabling a study of the gustatory papillae and taste buds.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Hepatologia, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Sabrina Alves
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Fernandes
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Médicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, RS, Brasil.|Laboratório de Hepatologia e Gastroenterologia, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bona
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Carlos Thadeu Schmidt
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Cerski
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Médicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, RS, Brasil.|Laboratório de Hepatologia e Gastroenterologia, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.|Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Fisiologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, RS, Brasil.|Programa de Pós-Graduação em Bio-Saúde, Universidade Luterana do Brasil, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Norma Possa
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Marroni
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Hepatologia, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.|Laboratório de Hepatologia e Gastroenterologia, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.|Grupo adulto de Transplante de Fígado, Santa Casa de Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil.
authors.forename: Claudio Augusto
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Marroni
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008106:Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental / Q000139:chemically induced*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013650:Taste Buds / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014059:Tongue / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015032:Zinc / Q000172:deficiency
chemical_list: D015032:Zinc