Differential temperature dependence of taste nerve responses to various taste stimuli in dogs and rats

1991 ◽  
Vol 261 (6) ◽  
pp. R1402-R1408 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Nakamura ◽  
K. Kurihara

The temperature dependence of the canine and rat chorda tympani nerve responses to various taste stimuli was examined. The temperature dependence greatly varied with species of stimuli. In the dog, the tonic responses to fructose, sucrose, acetic acid, and guanosine 5'-monophosphate (GMP) and the response induced by the synergism between monosodium glutamate (MSG) and GMP showed peaks at approximately 30 degrees C, whereas those to NaCl, NH4Cl, and MSG showed peaks between 10 and 20 degrees C. In the rat, the tonic response to NH4Cl increased with an increase in temperature up to 45 degrees C, whereas the responses to other stimuli examined showed peaks at approximately 30 degrees C. The responses to glycine, sucrose, and quinine showed sharp temperature dependence, and the responses to acids (HCl and acetic acid) and salts (NaCl and KCl) showed relatively flat dependence. The effects of the temperature change on dose-response curves for fructose, NH4Cl, and GMP were examined using dogs. The temperature change did not practically affect the thresholds for these stimuli and affected the magnitude of the responses to higher concentrations of stimuli. The origins of the temperature dependence were discussed in terms of taste receptor mechanisms.

2000 ◽  
Vol 83 (5) ◽  
pp. 2776-2779 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazuma Ogiso ◽  
Yasutake Shimizu ◽  
Ken Watanabe ◽  
Keiichi Tonosaki

To test whether undissociated acid is capable of exciting the chorda tympani nerves in rats, we have used buffered acid solutions as taste stimuli. These solutions were prepared by adding alkali to weak acids, such as acetic acid, so that the proportion of undissociated and dissociated acids was varied whereas keeping the total acid concentration constant. When acetic acid solutions, adjusted to wide ranges of pH by NaOH, were applied to the tongue, the response magnitude of the chorda tympani nerves was not varied systematically with pH changes. However, if the sodium effect was eliminated by amiloride or replacement of cation by potassium or Tris[hydroxymethyl]aminomethane; NH2C(CH2OH)3 (Tris-base), the chorda tympani response was reduced systematically as pH increased. Similar results were obtained with citric acid and ascorbic acid. This pH-dependent change in taste nerve response to acid cannot be solely attributed to the proton gradient because the response magnitude induced by hydrogen itself, which was estimated from responses to strong acids, was much smaller than that by equi-pH acetic acid (∼85%). Thus we cannot explain the pH-dependent responses of the chorda tympani nerves to weak acids unless effects of undissociated acid molecules are postulated. It is therefore concluded that undissociated acids in weak acid solutions can be a stimulant to taste receptor cells.


2010 ◽  
Vol 103 (3) ◽  
pp. 1337-1349 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vijay Lyall ◽  
Tam-Hao T. Phan ◽  
ZuoJun Ren ◽  
Shobha Mummalaneni ◽  
Pamela Melone ◽  
...  

Regulation of the putative amiloride and benzamil (Bz)-insensitive TRPV1t salt taste receptor by phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) was studied by monitoring chorda tympani (CT) taste nerve responses to 0.1 M NaCl solutions containing Bz (5 × 10−6 M; a specific ENaC blocker) and resiniferatoxin (RTX; 0–10 × 10−6 M; a specific TRPV1 agonist) in Sprague-Dawley rats and in wildtype (WT) and TRPV1 knockout (KO) mice. In rats and WT mice, RTX elicited a biphasic effect on the NaCl + Bz CT response, increasing the CT response between 0.25 × 10−6 and 1 × 10−6 M. At concentrations >1 × 10−6 M, RTX inhibited the CT response. An increase in PIP2 by topical lingual application of U73122 (a phospholipase C blocker) or diC8-PIP2 (a short chain synthetic PIP2) inhibited the control NaCl + Bz CT response and decreased its sensitivity to RTX. A decrease in PIP2 by topical lingual application of phenylarsine oxide (a phosphoinositide 4 kinase blocker) enhanced the control NaCl + Bz CT response, increased its sensitivity to RTX stimulation, and inhibited the desensitization of the CT response at RTX concentrations >1 × 10−6 M. The ENaC-dependent NaCl CT responses were not altered by changes in PIP2. An increase in PIP2 enhanced CT responses to sweet (0.3 M sucrose) and bitter (0.01 M quinine) stimuli. RTX produced the same increase in the Bz-insensitive Na+response when present in salt solutions containing 0.1 M NaCl + Bz, 0.1 M monosodium glutamate + Bz, 0.1 M NaCl + Bz + 0.005 M SC45647, or 0.1 M NaCl + Bz + 0.01 M quinine. No effect of RTX was observed on CT responses in WT mice and rats in the presence of the TRPV1 blocker N-(3-methoxyphenyl)-4-chlorocinnamide (1 × 10−6 M) or in TRPV1 KO mice. We conclude that PIP2 is a common intracellular effector for sweet, bitter, umami, and TRPV1t-dependent salt taste, although in the last case, PIP2 seems to directly regulate the taste receptor protein itself, i.e., the TRPV1 ion channel or its taste receptor variant, TRPV1t.


Author(s):  
Tadsanee Punjanon

 Objective: Combination therapy is a valid approach in pain treatment, in which a reduction of doses could reduce side effects and still achieve optimal analgesia. The objective was to determine the effects of coadministered diclofenac and the Derris scandens extract drug.Methods: Acetic acid-induced abdominal constriction test in mice was used to determine the type of interaction between components. The effective dose that produced 50% antinociception (ED50) was calculated from the log dose-response curves of fixed ratio combinations of diclofenac with the D. scandens extract drug. The ED50 was compared to the theoretical additive ED50 calculated from the ED50 of diclofenac and of the D. scandens extract drug alone.Results: Diclofenac and the D. scandens extract drug dose‐dependently and significantly reduced the abdominal writhing. The combination was the additive effect, the experimental ED50 being smaller than the theoretically calculated ED50. Interaction index of the combination was 0.89.Conclusion: The present study demonstrates the additivity antinociceptive interactions between diclofenac and the D. scandens extract drug and may be used as a combination analgesic in the treatment of pain conditions.


2000 ◽  
Vol 84 (3) ◽  
pp. 1531-1544 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan J. Hendricks ◽  
Robert E. Stewart ◽  
Gerard L. Heck ◽  
John A. DeSimone ◽  
David L. Hill

In rat, chorda tympani nerve taste responses to Na+ salts increase between roughly 10 and 45 days of age to reach stable, mature magnitudes. Previous evidence from in vitro preparations and from taste nerve responses using Na+ channel blockers suggests that the physiological basis for this developmental increase in gustatory Na+ sensitivity is the progressive addition of functional, Na+ transduction elements (i.e., amiloride-sensitive Na+ channels) to the apical membranes of fungiform papilla taste receptor cells. To avoid potential confounding effects of pharmacological interventions and to permit quantification of aggregate Na+ channel behavior using a kinetic model, we obtained chorda tympani nerve responses to NaCl and sodium gluconate (NaGlu) during receptive field voltage clamp in rats aged from 12–14 to 60 days and older (60+ days). Significant, age-dependent increases in chorda tympani responses to these stimuli occurred as expected. Importantly, apical Na+ channel density, estimated from an apical Na+ channel kinetic model, increased monotonically with age. The maximum rate of Na+response increase occurred between postnatal days 12–14 and 29–31. In addition, estimated Na+ channel affinity increased between 12–14 and 19–23 days of age, i.e., on a time course distinct from that of the maximum rate of Na+response increase. Finally, estimates of the fraction of clamp voltage dropped across taste receptor apical membranes decreased between 19–23 and 29–31 days of age for NaCl but remained stable for NaGlu. The stimulus dependence of this change is consistent with a developmental increase in taste bud tight junctional Cl− ion permeability that lags behind the developmental increase in apical Na+ channel density. A significant, indirect anion influence on apical Na+ channel properties was present at all ages tested. This influence was evident in the higher apparent apical Na+ channel affinities obtained for NaCl relative to NaGlu. This stimulus-dependent modulation of apical Na+ channel apparent affinity relies on differences in the transepithelial potentials between NaCl and NaGlu. These originate from differences in paracellular anion permeability but act also on the driving force for Na+ through apical Na+channels. Detection of such an influence on taste depends fundamentally on the preservation of taste bud polarity and on a direct measure of sensory function, such as the response of primary afferents.


Author(s):  
Halina Lekacz ◽  
Waldemar Karcz

AbstractIndole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and 4-chloroindole-3-acetic acid (4-Cl-IAA) were tested at different concentrations and times for their capacity to change the redox activity and medium pH of maize root segments. The dose-response surfaces (dose-response curves as a function of time) plotted for redox activity and changes in medium pH (expressed as ΔpH) had a similar shape for both auxins, but differed significantly at the optimal concentrations. With 4-Cl-IAA, the maximal values of redox activity and medium pH changes were observed at 10−10 M, which was a 100-fold lower concentration than with IAA. Correlations were observed between redox activity and medium pH changes at the optimal concentrations of both IAA and 4-Cl-IAA. The results are discussed herein, taking into account both the concentration of the auxins and the effects produced by them.


2012 ◽  
Vol 108 (9) ◽  
pp. 2405-2418 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph M. Breza ◽  
Robert J. Contreras

Sour and salt taste interactions are not well understood in the peripheral gustatory system. Therefore, we investigated the interaction of acetic acid and NaCl on taste processing by rat chorda tympani neurons. We recorded multi-unit responses from the severed chorda tympani nerve (CT) and single-cell responses from intact narrowly tuned and broadly tuned salt-sensitive neurons in the geniculate ganglion simultaneously with stimulus-evoked summated potentials to signal when the stimulus contacted the lingual epithelium. Artificial saliva served as the rinse and solvent for all stimuli [0.3 M NH4Cl, 0.5 M sucrose, 0.1 M NaCl, 0.01 M citric acid, 0.02 M quinine hydrochloride (QHCl), 0.1 M KCl, 0.003–0.1 M acetic acid, and 0.003–0.1 M acetic acid mixed with 0.1 M NaCl]. We used benzamil to assess NaCl responses mediated by the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC). The CT nerve responses to acetic acid/NaCl mixtures were less than those predicted by summing the component responses. Single-unit analyses revealed that acetic acid activated acid-generalist neurons exclusively in a concentration-dependent manner: increasing acid concentration increased response frequency and decreased response latency in a parallel fashion. Acetic acid suppressed NaCl responses in ENaC-dependent NaCl-specialist neurons, whereas acetic acid-NaCl mixtures were additive in acid-generalist neurons. These data suggest that acetic acid attenuates sodium responses in ENaC-expressing-taste cells in contact with NaCl-specialist neurons, whereas acetic acid-NaCl mixtures activate distinct receptor/cellular mechanisms on taste cells in contact with acid-generalist neurons. We speculate that NaCl-specialist neurons are in contact with type I cells, whereas acid-generalist neurons are in contact with type III cells in fungiform taste buds.


2009 ◽  
Vol 296 (4) ◽  
pp. R960-R971 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tadahiro Ohkuri ◽  
Keiko Yasumatsu ◽  
Nao Horio ◽  
Masafumi Jyotaki ◽  
Robert F. Margolskee ◽  
...  

Sweet taste transduction involves taste receptor type 1, member 2 (T1R2), taste receptor type 1, member 3 (T1R3), gustducin, and TRPM5. Because knockout (KO) mice lacking T1R3, gustducin's Gα subunit (Gαgust), or TRPM5 exhibited greatly reduced, but not abolished responses of the chorda tympani (CT) nerve to sweet compounds, it is likely that multiple sweet transduction pathways exist. That gurmarin (Gur), a sweet taste inhibitor, inhibits some but not all mouse CT responses to sweet compounds supports the existence of multiple sweet pathways. Here, we investigated Gur inhibition of CT responses to sweet compounds as a function of temperature in KO mice lacking T1R3, Gαgust, or TRPM5. In T1R3-KO mice, responses to sucrose and glucose were Gur sensitive (GS) and displayed a temperature-dependent increase (TDI). In Gαgust-KO mice, responses to sucrose and glucose were Gur-insensitive (GI) and showed a TDI. In TRPM5-KO mice, responses to glucose were GS and showed a TDI. All three KO mice exhibited no detectable responses to SC45647, and their responses to saccharin displayed neither GS nor a TDI. For all three KO mice, the lingual application of pronase, another sweet response inhibitor, almost fully abolished responses to sucrose and glucose but did not affect responses to saccharin. These results provide evidence for 1) the existence of multiple transduction pathways underlying responses to sugars: a T1R3-independent GS pathway for sucrose and glucose, and a TRPM5-independent temperature sensitive GS pathway for glucose; 2) the requirement for Gαgust in GS sweet taste responses; and 3) the existence of a sweet independent pathway for saccharin, in mouse taste cells on the anterior tongue.


2003 ◽  
Vol 90 (1) ◽  
pp. 128-133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasutake Shimizu ◽  
Mifumi Yamazaki ◽  
Keiji Nakanishi ◽  
Maki Sakurai ◽  
Atsushi Sanada ◽  
...  

Sweet taste sensitivity in obese rats with lesions of the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) was studied by examining chorda tympani nerve responses to various taste stimuli including sugars. In the early progressive phase of obesity (2 wk after creating VMH lesions), there was no significant difference in the nerve responses to any taste stimulus between sham-operated and VMH-lesioned rats. In contrast, in the late phase of obesity (15–18 wk after VMH lesions), the magnitude of responses to sugars (except for fructose) was prominently greater than that in age-matched controls. High-fat diet-induced obese rats and streptozotocin-diabetic rats also showed greater chorda tympani nerve responses to sugars as was observed in VMH-lesioned obese rats, indicating that VMH lesions might not be specifically related to the enhanced gustatory neural responses to sugars. Although it has been demonstrated that the enhanced responses of the chorda tympani nerve to sugars in genetically diabetic db/db mice is largely attributable to the lack of the direct suppressive effect of leptin on the taste receptor cells, plasma leptin levels were not correlated with the changes in chorda tympani responsiveness to sugars in these models of obesity and diabetes. Accordingly, our results suggest that some chronic factors, including high blood glucose, inefficiency of insulin action, or leptin resistance may be related to the enhancement of chorda tympani nerve responses to sugars.


1995 ◽  
Vol 73 (4) ◽  
pp. 1468-1483 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Wang ◽  
R. P. Erickson ◽  
S. A. Simon

1. A subpopulation of lingual nerve (LN) fibers surround and/or terminate in taste buds in fungiform papillae. One possible function of these fibers is to modulate chorda tympani fiber (CT) or taste responses. To test this hypothesis, the rat LN was stimulated electrically at various voltages (to 20 V), and single- and multiunit CT responses to water-0.1 M NaCl cycles were recorded before, during, and after LN stimulation. 2. When a thermally controlled water-0.1 M NaCl stimulus cycle was applied onto the tongue's surface, the surface temperature remained constant, independent of the stimulation voltage. In the absence of a liquid stimulus, the tongue's surface temperature increased approximately 4 degrees C upon LN stimulation for voltages > or = 5 V. This temperature increase, caused by vasodilation by way of the axon reflex flare mechanism, was taken as evidence that LN stimulation induces peptide release. 3. Comparison of CT activity before LN stimulation with the activity either during or after stimulation revealed statistically significant changes in CT activity. During LN stimulation the CT activity decreased. After LN stimulation, the variability in amount of CT activity increased. 4. In rats treated postnatally with subcutaneous injections of capsaicin to reduce or eliminate polymodal nociceptors, LN stimulation did not produce increases in the tongue's surface temperature or changes in CT activity. 5. Changes in CT activity could be detected seconds after LN stimulation, suggesting that the intragemmal and/or perigemmal LN fibers modulate CT activity. 6. The physiological implications of this study suggest that CT responses to salt can be modulated by endogenous compounds (probably peptides), eating foods that activate LN responses (e.g., foods that are very acidic or contain capsaicin) may modulate taste responses, and peri- and intragemmal fibers should be considered an integral part of the taste receptor system.


1998 ◽  
Vol 80 (3) ◽  
pp. 1362-1372 ◽  
Author(s):  
John D. Boughter ◽  
David V. Smith

Boughter, John D., Jr. and David V. Smith. Amiloride blocks acid responses in NaCl-best gustatory neurons of the hamster solitary nucleus. J. Neurophysiol. 80: 1362–1372, 1998. Biophysical studies of isolated taste receptor cells show that one mechanism of Na+ salt transduction involves the inward movement of Na+ through amiloride-blockable ion channels on the apical receptor cell membrane, which leads to a direct depolarization. Hamster taste receptor cells with amiloride-blockable Na+ responses also show an amiloride-sensitive H+ current. Thus one mechanism for the transduction of acid taste involves the amiloride-sensitive channel. We investigated the effects of amiloride on responses to acids in neurons of the nucleus of the solitary tract (NST) of the hamster. The responses of 47 NST neurons were recorded extracellularly while the anterior tongue was stimulated with solutions representing the four taste qualities (NaCl, sucrose, HCl, quinine), which were used to characterize each cell on the basis of its best stimulus. The effects of amiloride on responses to 10 mM HCl, 10 mM citric acid, 100 mM NaCl, and 100 mM sucrose were then investigated. Stimuli were presented alone for 30 s (control trials) and also presented for 10 s, followed by a mixture of the stimulus with 10 μM amiloride for 10 s, followed by the stimulus alone again for 10 s (amiloride trials). The effects of amiloride were assessed by comparing the responses of cells with the stimulus + amiloride with that of the stimulus alone. In neurons classified as NaCl-best, amiloride reversibly blocked responses to NaCl, HCl, and citric acid. In HCl-best neurons, amiloride had no effect on responses to any of these stimuli. In sucrose-best neurons, amiloride blocked the response to NaCl but not to sucrose or to either acid. These results support the hypothesis that acids are transduced by at least two different receptor mechanisms in the hamster, amiloride sensitive and amiloride insensitive. At the NST, these inputs are tightly maintained in two separate populations of neurons. Sucrose-best neurons, which show amiloride effects on NaCl but not acids, appear to receive converging inputs from both amiloride-sensitive (N-best) and amiloride-insensitive (H-best) chorda tympani nerve fibers.


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