| First Author | Riera CE | Year | 2008 |
| Journal | Biochem Biophys Res Commun | Volume | 376 |
| Issue | 4 | Pages | 653-7 |
| PubMed ID | 18804451 | Mgi Jnum | J:142860 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:3822271 | Doi | 10.1016/j.bbrc.2008.09.029 |
| Citation | Riera CE, et al. (2008) The capsaicin receptor participates in artificial sweetener aversion. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 376(4):653-7 |
| abstractText | Artificial sweeteners such as saccharin, aspartame, acesulfame-K, and cyclamate produce at high concentrations an unpleasant after-taste that is generally attributed to bitter and metallic taste sensations. To identify receptors involved with the complex perception of the above compounds, preference tests were performed in wild-type mice and mice lacking the TRPV1 channel or the T1R3 receptor, the latter being necessary for the perception of sweet taste. The sweeteners, including cyclamate, displayed a biphasic response profile, with the T1R3 mediated component implicated in preference. At high concentrations imparting off-taste, omission of TRPV1 reduced aversion. In a heterologous expression system the Y511A point mutation in the vanilloid pocket of TRPV1 did not affect saccharin and aspartame responses but abolished cyclamate and acesulfame-K activities. The results rationalize artificial sweetener tastes and off-tastes by showing that at low concentrations, these molecules stimulate the gustatory system through the hedonically positive T1R3 pathway, and at higher concentrations, their aversion is partly mediated by TRPV1. |
