title: Expression and functional activity of bitter taste receptors in primary renal tubular epithelial cells and M-1 cells.
abstract: The kidney is essential in the maintenance of in vivo homeostasis by body fluid and electrolyte conservation and metabolic waste removal. Previously, we reported the expression of a novel G protein family (Tas2rs), which includes bitter taste receptors, in the kidney tubule system, including the nephrons and the collecting duct system. Bitter taste receptors could affect kidney function via Ca2+intake. Alkaloids such as phenylthiocarbamide stimulate these receptors and cause an increase in Ca2+intake. In this study, we determined the expression of bitter taste receptors in the immature kidney and small intestine and in primary renal epithelial cells and M-1 (collecting tubule cell line) cells, by using QPCR and immunostaining. We found no expression of bitter taste receptors in the immature kidney and small intestine several days after birth; the relative abundance of Tas2rs transcripts varied depending on the developmental stage. Tas2rs were expressed in primary renal epithelial cells and M-1 cells. The traditional Chinese medicinal plant extracts phellodendrine and coptisine caused a rapid rise in intracellular Ca2+concentration, which was inhibited by the phospholipase C (PLC) inhibitor U-73122. Thus, phellodendrine and coptisine could change the physiological status of renal cells in vitro by mediation of bitter taste receptors in a PLC-dependent manner. Our results provide new insights on the expression and role of bitter taste receptors in renal development and function.
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Fuxue
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Fu
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology of Ministry of Education/Health, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201508, China. lifeng30286@shaphc.org.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, People's Republic of China. dsdu@shu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Dongshu
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Du
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001599:Berberine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000378:metabolism*; D007684:Kidney Tubules / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D011807:Quinolizines / Q000494:pharmacology; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013649:Taste
chemical_list: D011807:Quinolizines; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; C034384:coptisine; D001599:Berberine; C079418:phellodendrine; D002118:Calcium
keywords: Alkaloid; Bitter taste receptors; Kidney; M-1 cells; Primary renal tubular epithelial cells