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The Role of Bitter and Sweet Taste Receptors in Upper Airway Immunity

  • Rhinosinusitis (J Mullol, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Over the past several years, taste receptors have emerged as key players in the regulation of innate immune defenses in the mammalian respiratory tract. Several cell types in the airway, including ciliated epithelial cells, solitary chemosensory cells, and bronchial smooth muscle cells, all display chemoresponsive properties that utilize taste receptors. A variety of bitter products secreted by microbes are detected with resultant downstream inflammation, increased mucous clearance, antimicrobial peptide secretion, and direct bacterial killing. Genetic variation of bitter taste receptors also appears to play a role in the susceptibility to infection in respiratory disease states, including that of chronic rhinosinusitis. Ongoing taste receptor research may yield new therapeutics that harness innate immune defenses in the respiratory tract and may offer alternatives to antibiotic treatment. The present review discusses taste receptor-protective responses and analyzes the role these receptors play in mediating airway immune function.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, 5th Floor Ravdin Building, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA

    Alan D. Workman, James N. Palmer, Nithin D. Adappa & Noam A. Cohen

  2. Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Alan D. Workman, James N. Palmer, Nithin D. Adappa & Noam A. Cohen

  3. Monell Smell and Taste Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Noam A. Cohen

  4. Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Noam A. Cohen

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  1. Alan D. Workman
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  2. James N. Palmer
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  3. Nithin D. Adappa
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  4. Noam A. Cohen
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Correspondence to Noam A. Cohen.

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Conflict of Interest

Dr. Cohen has a patent “Therapy and Diagnostics for Respiratory Infection” 61/697,652 (filed 12/6/12) WO2013112865 pending. Drs. Workman, Palmer, and Adappa declare no conflicts of interest.

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Workman, A.D., Palmer, J.N., Adappa, N.D. et al. The Role of Bitter and Sweet Taste Receptors in Upper Airway Immunity. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep 15, 72 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11882-015-0571-8

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