Abstract
Bitter (T2R) and sweet taste (T1R) receptors have emerged as regulators of upper airway immune responses. Genetic variation of these taste receptors additionally confers susceptibility to infection and has been implicated in severity of disease in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Ongoing taste receptor research has identified a variety of biologically active compounds that activate T1R and T2R receptors, increasing our understanding of not only additional receptor isoforms and their function but also how receptor function may contribute to the pathophysiology of CRS. This review will discuss the function of taste receptors in mediating airway immunity with a focus on recently described modulators of receptor function and directions for future research into the potential role of genotypic and phenotypic receptor variation as a predictor of airway disease and response to therapy.
Highlights
The upper respiratory tract depends upon several mechanisms to detect and mount defenses against pathogenic bacteria to prevent colonization and infection
Toll-like receptors (TLRs) activation generates a sustained immune response through changes in gene expression over a period of hours (Hume et al, 2001). Other defensive responses, such as the secretion of antimicrobial compounds and changes in ciliary beat frequency described above occur on a much more rapid timescale (Barham et al, 2013). This suggests that a subset of the upper airway immune response may be initiated through the detection of bacterial products through a non-TLR alternative mechanism
There is significant evidence to support the function of taste receptors as regulators of upper airway immunity
Summary
The upper respiratory tract depends upon several mechanisms to detect and mount defenses against pathogenic bacteria to prevent colonization and infection. Studies in recent years have described an emerging role for bitter and sweet taste receptors as upper airway sentinels that sense secreted bacterial products and subsequently regulate innate immune responses (Tizzano et al, 2010; Lee et al, 2012, 2014) Polymorphisms in these receptors contribute to individual preferences in taste (Hayes et al, 2011), and correlate with CRS disease severity (Lee et al, 2012; Adappa et al, 2016b; Carey et al, 2017). This review will discuss the function of taste receptors in mediating airway immunity with a focus on modulators of receptor function and the clinical implications of genotypic and phenotypic variations as predictors of airway disease and response to therapy
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