Mouse neutrophils express functional umami taste receptor T1R1/T1R3

BMB Rep. 2014 Nov;47(11):649-54. doi: 10.5483/bmbrep.2014.47.11.185.

Abstract

Neutrophils play an important role in the initiation of innate immunity against infection and injury. Although many different types of G-protein coupled receptors are functionally expressed in neutrophils, no reports have demonstrated functional expression of umami taste receptor in these cells. We observed that mouse neutrophils express the umami taste receptor T1R1/T1R3 through RNA sequencing and quantitative RT-PCR analysis. Stimulation of mouse neutrophils with L-alanine or L-serine, which are ligands for the umami taste receptor, elicited not only ERK or p38 MAPK phosphorylation but also chemotactic migration. Moreover, addition of L-alanine or L-serine markedly reduced the production of several cytokines including TNF-α induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) through inhibition of NF-κB activity or STAT3 phosphorylation in neutrophils. Our findings demonstrate that neutrophils express the umami taste receptor, through which tastants stimulate neutrophils, resulting in chemotactic migration, and attenuation of LPS-induced inflammatory response.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alanine / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Calcium / metabolism
  • Cell Movement / drug effects
  • Chemotaxis / drug effects
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation*
  • Lipopolysaccharides / toxicity
  • Mice
  • NF-kappa B / antagonists & inhibitors
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism
  • Neutrophils / cytology
  • Neutrophils / drug effects
  • Neutrophils / metabolism*
  • Phosphorylation
  • RNA / chemistry
  • RNA / isolation & purification
  • RNA / metabolism
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / chemistry
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / genetics*
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / metabolism
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor / antagonists & inhibitors
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor / metabolism
  • Sequence Analysis, RNA
  • Serine / pharmacology
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • NF-kappa B
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
  • STAT3 Transcription Factor
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • taste receptors, type 1
  • Serine
  • RNA
  • Alanine
  • Calcium