The morphological changes that occur in the taste buds after denervation are not well under- stood in rats, especially in the contralateral tongue epithelium. In this study, we investigated the time course of morpholo...The morphological changes that occur in the taste buds after denervation are not well under- stood in rats, especially in the contralateral tongue epithelium. In this study, we investigated the time course of morphological changes in the taste buds following unilateral nerve transection. The role of the trigeminal component of the lingual nerve in maintaining the structural integrity of the taste buds was also examined. Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups： control, unilateral chorda tympani nerve transection and unilateral chorda tympani nerve transection ＋ lingual nerve transection. Rats were allowed up to 42 days of re- covery before being euthanized. The taste buds were visualized using a cytokeratin 8 antibody. Taste bud counts, volumes and taste receptor cell numbers were quantified and compared among groups. No significant difference was detected between the chorda tympani nerve transection and chorda tympani nerve transection ＋ lingual nerve transection groups. Taste bud counts, volumes and taste receptor cell numbers on the ipsilateral side all decreased significantly compared with control. On the contralateral side, the number of taste buds remained unchanged over time, but they were larger, and taste receptor cells were more numerous postoperatively. There was no evidence for a role of the trigeminal branch of the lingual nerve in maintaining the structural integrity of the anterior taste buds.展开更多
Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS), as a non-invasive neuroimaging technique, was used to monitor the activation of prefrontal lobe on human brain during sweet taste processing. The primary aim of the prese...Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS), as a non-invasive neuroimaging technique, was used to monitor the activation of prefrontal lobe on human brain during sweet taste processing. The primary aim of the present study was to find the region of interest (ROI) which is related to sweetness, and make further understanding of the central organization of taste. Based on event-related design, the experiments were performed with 16 volunteers by sweet taste stimulus. It was confirmed that the prefrontal cortex (PFC) is involved in sweet taste processing and fNIRS provided an alternative way for studying taste-related brain function under more natural conditions. This study might be effective for detecting the accession area in the cortex of sweet taste and helpful for studying on human feeding and taste disease like taste dyspepsia or disorder.展开更多
The tobacco cutworm Spodoptera litura is one of the most destructive polyphagous crop pests.Olfaction and taste play a crucial role in its host plant selection and sexual communication,but the expression profile of ch...The tobacco cutworm Spodoptera litura is one of the most destructive polyphagous crop pests.Olfaction and taste play a crucial role in its host plant selection and sexual communication,but the expression profile of chemosensory genes remains unclear.In this study,we identified 185 chemosensory genes from 7 organs in S.litura by transcriptome sequencing,of which 72 genes were published for the first time,including 27 odorant receptors(ORs),26 gustatory receptors(GRs),1 ionotropic receptor(IR),16 odorant-binding proteins(OBPs),and 2 chemosensory proteins(CSPs).Phylogenetic analyses revealed that ORs,IRs,OBPs,and sensory neuron membrane proteins(SNMPs)were mainly expressed in antennae and sequence-conserved among Noctuidae species.The most differentially expressed genes(DEGs)between sexes were ORs and OBPs,and no DEGs were found in GRs.GR transcripts were enriched in proboscis,and the expression of sugar receptors was the highest.Carbon dioxide receptors,sugar receptor-SliuGR6,and bitter GRs-SlituGR43 and SlituGR66 had higher sequence identities between Noctuidae species.CSPs were broadly expressed in various organs,and SlituCSP13 was a DEG in adult antennae.The functional analysis in the Drosophila OR67d expression system found that SlituOR50,a receptor highly expressed in female antennae,is selectively tuned to farnesyl acetate.The results provide a solid foundation for understanding the molecular mechanisms by which chemosensory genes operate to elicit behavioral responses in polyphagous insects.展开更多
Feeding behavior is critical for insect survival and fitness.Most researchers have explored the molecular basis of feeding behaviors by identifying and elucidating the function of olfactory receptors(ORs)and gustatory...Feeding behavior is critical for insect survival and fitness.Most researchers have explored the molecular basis of feeding behaviors by identifying and elucidating the function of olfactory receptors(ORs)and gustatory receptors(GRs).Other types of genes,such as transcription factors,have rarely been investigated,and little is known about their potential roles.The silkworm(Bombyx mori)is a well-studied monophagic insect which primarily feeds on mulberry leaves,but the genetic basis of its monophagy is still not un-derstood.In this report,we focused on a transcription factor encoded by the Zfh3 gene,which is highly expressed in the silkworm central and peripheral nervous systems,in-cluding brain,antenna,and maxilla.To investigate its function,Zfh3 was abrogated using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats(CRISPR)/CRISPR associated protein 9(Cas9)mutagenesis.Since Zfh3 knockout homozygotes are not viable,we stud-ied feeding behavior in heterozygotes,and found that disruption of Zfh3 affects both gus-tation and olfaction.Mutant larvae lose preference for mulberry leaves,acquire the ability to consume an expanded range of diets,and exhibit improved adaptation to the Mo artifi-cial diet,which contains no mulberry leaves.These results provide the first demonstration that a transcription factor modulates feeding behaviors in an insect.展开更多
Taste receptors were named for their originally-identified expression on the tongue and role in the sensation of taste (gustation). They are now known to be involved in many che-mosensory processes outside the tongue....Taste receptors were named for their originally-identified expression on the tongue and role in the sensation of taste (gustation). They are now known to be involved in many che-mosensory processes outside the tongue. Expression of the receptors for bitter, sweet, and umami was recently identified in many organs, including the brain, airway, gastrointestinal tract, and reproductive systems. We do not yet know the full roles of these receptors in all of these tissues, nor do we know all of the endogenous ligands that activate them. However, taste receptors are emerging as potentially important therapeutic targets. Moreover, they may mediate some off target effects of drugs, as many medications in common clinical use are known to be bitter. The focus of this review is on recent basic and clinical data describing the expression of bitter (T2R) and sweet (T1R) receptors in the airway and their activation by secreted bacterial compounds. These receptors play important roles in innate immune ni-tric oxide production and antimicrobial peptide secretion, and may be useful targets for stim-ulating immune responses in the upper respiratory tract via topical therapies. Moreover, genetic variation in these receptors may play a role in the differential susceptibility of patients to certain types of respiratory infections as well as to differential outcomes in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). CRS is a syndrome of chronic upper respiratory infection and inflammation and has a significant detrimental impact on patient quality of life. CRS treatment accounts for approximately 20% of adult antibiotic prescriptions and is thus a large driver of the public health crisis of antibiotic resistance. Taste receptors represent a novel class of ther-apeutic target to potentially stimulate endogenous immune responses and treat CRS patients without conventional antibiotics.展开更多
Background: Smell and taste loss are highly prevalent symptoms in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), although few studies have employed objective measures to quantify these symptoms, especially dysgeusia. Reports of...Background: Smell and taste loss are highly prevalent symptoms in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), although few studies have employed objective measures to quantify these symptoms, especially dysgeusia. Reports of unrecognized anosmia in COVID-19 patients suggests that self-reported measures are insufficient for capturing patients with chemosensory dysfunction.Objectives: The purpose of this study was to quantify the impact of recent COVID-19 infection on chemosensory function and demonstrate the use of at-home objective smell and taste testing in an at-risk population of healthcare workers.Methods: Two hundred and fifty healthcare workers were screened for possible loss of smell and taste using online surveys. Self-administered smell and taste tests were mailed to respondents meeting criteria for elevated risk of infection, and one-month follow-up surveys were completed.Results: Among subjects with prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, 73% reported symptoms of olfactory and/or gustatory dysfunction. Self-reported smell and taste loss were both strong predictors of COVID-19 positivity. Subjects with evidence of recent SARS-CoV-2 infection (<45 days) had significantly lower olfactory scores but equivalent gustatory scores compared to other subjects. There was a time-dependent increase in smell scores but not in taste scores among subjects with prior infection and chemosensory symptoms. The overall infection rate was 4.4%, with 2.5% reported by PCR swab.Conclusion: Healthcare workers with recent SARS-CoV-2 infection had reduced olfaction and normal gustation on self-administered objective testing compared to those without infection. Rates of infection and chemosensory symptoms in our cohort of healthcare workers reflect those of the general public.展开更多
基金supported by the Major State Basic Research Development Program of China(973 Program),No.2011CB504500,2011CB504506the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.81271084,81420108010,81000413,81370022,81200740+1 种基金the Training Program of the Excellent Young Talents of the Shanghai Municipal Health System in China,No.XYQ2013084the Innovation Project of Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission in China,No.11411952300
文摘The morphological changes that occur in the taste buds after denervation are not well under- stood in rats, especially in the contralateral tongue epithelium. In this study, we investigated the time course of morphological changes in the taste buds following unilateral nerve transection. The role of the trigeminal component of the lingual nerve in maintaining the structural integrity of the taste buds was also examined. Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups： control, unilateral chorda tympani nerve transection and unilateral chorda tympani nerve transection ＋ lingual nerve transection. Rats were allowed up to 42 days of re- covery before being euthanized. The taste buds were visualized using a cytokeratin 8 antibody. Taste bud counts, volumes and taste receptor cell numbers were quantified and compared among groups. No significant difference was detected between the chorda tympani nerve transection and chorda tympani nerve transection ＋ lingual nerve transection groups. Taste bud counts, volumes and taste receptor cell numbers on the ipsilateral side all decreased significantly compared with control. On the contralateral side, the number of taste buds remained unchanged over time, but they were larger, and taste receptor cells were more numerous postoperatively. There was no evidence for a role of the trigeminal branch of the lingual nerve in maintaining the structural integrity of the anterior taste buds.
文摘Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS), as a non-invasive neuroimaging technique, was used to monitor the activation of prefrontal lobe on human brain during sweet taste processing. The primary aim of the present study was to find the region of interest (ROI) which is related to sweetness, and make further understanding of the central organization of taste. Based on event-related design, the experiments were performed with 16 volunteers by sweet taste stimulus. It was confirmed that the prefrontal cortex (PFC) is involved in sweet taste processing and fNIRS provided an alternative way for studying taste-related brain function under more natural conditions. This study might be effective for detecting the accession area in the cortex of sweet taste and helpful for studying on human feeding and taste disease like taste dyspepsia or disorder.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.32130090 and 32372541)the State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents(Grant No.IPM2212).
文摘The tobacco cutworm Spodoptera litura is one of the most destructive polyphagous crop pests.Olfaction and taste play a crucial role in its host plant selection and sexual communication,but the expression profile of chemosensory genes remains unclear.In this study,we identified 185 chemosensory genes from 7 organs in S.litura by transcriptome sequencing,of which 72 genes were published for the first time,including 27 odorant receptors(ORs),26 gustatory receptors(GRs),1 ionotropic receptor(IR),16 odorant-binding proteins(OBPs),and 2 chemosensory proteins(CSPs).Phylogenetic analyses revealed that ORs,IRs,OBPs,and sensory neuron membrane proteins(SNMPs)were mainly expressed in antennae and sequence-conserved among Noctuidae species.The most differentially expressed genes(DEGs)between sexes were ORs and OBPs,and no DEGs were found in GRs.GR transcripts were enriched in proboscis,and the expression of sugar receptors was the highest.Carbon dioxide receptors,sugar receptor-SliuGR6,and bitter GRs-SlituGR43 and SlituGR66 had higher sequence identities between Noctuidae species.CSPs were broadly expressed in various organs,and SlituCSP13 was a DEG in adult antennae.The functional analysis in the Drosophila OR67d expression system found that SlituOR50,a receptor highly expressed in female antennae,is selectively tuned to farnesyl acetate.The results provide a solid foundation for understanding the molecular mechanisms by which chemosensory genes operate to elicit behavioral responses in polyphagous insects.
基金This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.32202745 and U20A2058)Natural Science Foundation of Chongqing,China(Grant No.cstc2021jcyj-cxttx0005)Funds of China Agriculture Research System of Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs(No.CARS-18)。
文摘Feeding behavior is critical for insect survival and fitness.Most researchers have explored the molecular basis of feeding behaviors by identifying and elucidating the function of olfactory receptors(ORs)and gustatory receptors(GRs).Other types of genes,such as transcription factors,have rarely been investigated,and little is known about their potential roles.The silkworm(Bombyx mori)is a well-studied monophagic insect which primarily feeds on mulberry leaves,but the genetic basis of its monophagy is still not un-derstood.In this report,we focused on a transcription factor encoded by the Zfh3 gene,which is highly expressed in the silkworm central and peripheral nervous systems,in-cluding brain,antenna,and maxilla.To investigate its function,Zfh3 was abrogated using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats(CRISPR)/CRISPR associated protein 9(Cas9)mutagenesis.Since Zfh3 knockout homozygotes are not viable,we stud-ied feeding behavior in heterozygotes,and found that disruption of Zfh3 affects both gus-tation and olfaction.Mutant larvae lose preference for mulberry leaves,acquire the ability to consume an expanded range of diets,and exhibit improved adaptation to the Mo artifi-cial diet,which contains no mulberry leaves.These results provide the first demonstration that a transcription factor modulates feeding behaviors in an insect.
文摘Taste receptors were named for their originally-identified expression on the tongue and role in the sensation of taste (gustation). They are now known to be involved in many che-mosensory processes outside the tongue. Expression of the receptors for bitter, sweet, and umami was recently identified in many organs, including the brain, airway, gastrointestinal tract, and reproductive systems. We do not yet know the full roles of these receptors in all of these tissues, nor do we know all of the endogenous ligands that activate them. However, taste receptors are emerging as potentially important therapeutic targets. Moreover, they may mediate some off target effects of drugs, as many medications in common clinical use are known to be bitter. The focus of this review is on recent basic and clinical data describing the expression of bitter (T2R) and sweet (T1R) receptors in the airway and their activation by secreted bacterial compounds. These receptors play important roles in innate immune ni-tric oxide production and antimicrobial peptide secretion, and may be useful targets for stim-ulating immune responses in the upper respiratory tract via topical therapies. Moreover, genetic variation in these receptors may play a role in the differential susceptibility of patients to certain types of respiratory infections as well as to differential outcomes in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). CRS is a syndrome of chronic upper respiratory infection and inflammation and has a significant detrimental impact on patient quality of life. CRS treatment accounts for approximately 20% of adult antibiotic prescriptions and is thus a large driver of the public health crisis of antibiotic resistance. Taste receptors represent a novel class of ther-apeutic target to potentially stimulate endogenous immune responses and treat CRS patients without conventional antibiotics.
文摘Background: Smell and taste loss are highly prevalent symptoms in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), although few studies have employed objective measures to quantify these symptoms, especially dysgeusia. Reports of unrecognized anosmia in COVID-19 patients suggests that self-reported measures are insufficient for capturing patients with chemosensory dysfunction.Objectives: The purpose of this study was to quantify the impact of recent COVID-19 infection on chemosensory function and demonstrate the use of at-home objective smell and taste testing in an at-risk population of healthcare workers.Methods: Two hundred and fifty healthcare workers were screened for possible loss of smell and taste using online surveys. Self-administered smell and taste tests were mailed to respondents meeting criteria for elevated risk of infection, and one-month follow-up surveys were completed.Results: Among subjects with prior SARS-CoV-2 infection, 73% reported symptoms of olfactory and/or gustatory dysfunction. Self-reported smell and taste loss were both strong predictors of COVID-19 positivity. Subjects with evidence of recent SARS-CoV-2 infection (<45 days) had significantly lower olfactory scores but equivalent gustatory scores compared to other subjects. There was a time-dependent increase in smell scores but not in taste scores among subjects with prior infection and chemosensory symptoms. The overall infection rate was 4.4%, with 2.5% reported by PCR swab.Conclusion: Healthcare workers with recent SARS-CoV-2 infection had reduced olfaction and normal gustation on self-administered objective testing compared to those without infection. Rates of infection and chemosensory symptoms in our cohort of healthcare workers reflect those of the general public.
