title: The expression of bitter taste receptors in mesenteric, cerebral and omental arteries.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Bitter taste is sensed by the bitter taste receptor (TAS2R), which is mainly expressed in the tongue as well as in extra-oral organs, such as the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract, brain, heart and testis. This study aimed to investigate whether TAS2R is expressed in the mesenteric, cerebral and omental arteries.
  
  
  METHODS
  The expression levels of TAS2R mRNA and protein were determined by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting, respectively. The location of TAS2R was determined by immunofluorescence imaging. TAS2R agonists were used in a sensitive myograph to study the function of TAS2R in arteries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mRNA of rat TAS2Rs, including rTAS2R39, rTAS2R40, rTAS2R108, rTAS2R114, rTAS2R130, rTAS2R137, and rTAS2R140, was expressed in rat mesenteric and cerebral arteries, but rTAS2R114 was not expressed in the cerebral arteries. The mRNA of human TAS2Rs, including hTAS2R3, hTAS2R4, hTAS2R7, hTAS2R10, hTAS2R14, hTAS2R39 and hTAS2R40, was expressed in human omental arteries. The TAS2R7 protein was expressed in rat mesenteric and cerebral arteries, as well as in human omental arteries. Immunofluorescence imaging confirmed that TAS2R7 was located in vascular smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells. The TAS2R agonists, chloroquine and quinine relaxed rat mesenteric arteries and cerebral arteries and human omental arteries in a concentration-dependent manner.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TAS2R is expressed in the arteries of systemic circulation, including rat mesenteric and cerebral arteries and human omental arteries. This study provides evidence that TAS2R do exist in the arteries and may be involved in the mediation of vessel functions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an 710061, China.
authors.forename: Jing-Guo
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an 710061, China.
authors.forename: Na-Na
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Ping
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an 710061, China.
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China.
authors.forename: Meng-Yi
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an 710061, China.
authors.forename: Yan-Ni
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Mi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an 710061, China.
authors.forename: Sen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an 710061, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710004, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an 710061, China. Electronic address: yxy@mail.xjtu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yong-Xiao
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Cao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002536:Cerebral Arteries / Q000378:metabolism; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008643:Mesentery / Q000098:blood supply*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008875:Middle Aged; D009852:Omentum / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000378:metabolism; D011803:Quinine / Q000737:chemistry; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013649:Taste; D014059:Tongue / Q000378:metabolism; D014664:Vasodilation; D000098706:Taste Receptors, Type 2
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; C000614594:TAS2R7 protein, human; C000614593:Tas2r7l protein, rat; D000098706:Taste Receptors, Type 2; D002738:Chloroquine; D011803:Quinine
keywords: Bitter taste receptor; Cerebral artery; Mesenteric artery; Omental artery; Vasodilation