Extra-oral bitter taste receptors: new targets against obesity?

Publication date: Available online 21 February 2020Source: PeptidesAuthor(s): Qiaoling Wang, Kathrin I. Liszt, Inge DepoortereAbstractTaste perception on the tongue is essential to help us to identify nutritious or potential toxic food substances. Emerging evidence has demonstrated the expression and function of bitter taste receptors (TAS2Rs) in a wide range of extra-oral tissues. In particular, TAS2Rs in gastrointestinal enteroendocrine cells control the secretion of appetite regulating gut hormones and influence hunger and food intake. Furthermore, these effects may be reinforced by the presence of TAS2Rs on intestinal smooth muscle cells, adipocytes and the brain. This review summarises how activation of extra-oral TAS2Rs can influence appetite and body weight control and how obesity impacts the expression and function of TAS2Rs. Region-selective targeting of bitter taste receptors may be promising targets for the treatment of obesity.
Source: Peptides - Category: Biochemistry Source Type: research