Blocking sweet taste receptors can help body fight off sinus infections

Blocking sweet taste receptors can help body fight off sinus infections
Bitter taste receptors in the upper airway are the first line of defence against sinus infections, but their ability to kill harmful toxins and pathogens is blocked when the sweet taste receptors are also stimulated. While glucose and other sugars are known to trigger these sweet taste receptors, researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania have now shown amino acids can also have that effect. This new understanding could help pave the way toward new treatments for chronic sinus infections. The researchers published their findings in the journal Science Signaling.
The clinical name for chronic sinus infections is rhinosinusitis. It affects nearly 35 million Americans each year - more than 10 percent of the country's population - and forces people across the country to spend more than $8 billion overall on health care costs.
Previous research at Penn has suggested that a novel way to treat these infections involves manipulating the nasal bitter and sweet taste receptors. Bitter receptors release small proteins called antimicrobial peptides which kill bacteria, viruses, and fungi that enter the nose, while sweet receptors - normally activated by sugar found in mucus - control the rate at which those peptides are released. When the body is healthy, this system maintains the status quo. But when pathogens, toxins, and allergens get into the upper respiratory tract, it throws off the balance.
This new study shows the sweet taste receptor, known as T1R, can also be activated by certain amino acids secreted by bacteria. Researchers took cells from rhinosinusitis patients and isolated the various communities of bacteria that were present. They found cultures of Staphylococcus bacteria produced two D-amino acids called D-Phe and D-Leu, both of which activate T1R sweet receptors and block the release of antimicrobial peptides.
"These amino acids, which come from Staphylococcus bacteria, block the body's natural immune response by essentially hitting the breaks on the defensive bitter taste receptors," said the study's senior author Noam A. Cohen, MD, PhD, an associate professor of Otorhinolaryngology and director of rhinology research at Penn.
Researchers also found D-Phe and D-Leu, combined with Staphylococcus, prevented the formation of other bacteria colonies - specifically, Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In addition to showing the importance of sweet and bitter taste receptors in shaping the microbial communities that exist in the human airway - researchers say this could also lead to specific therapies to treat chronic rhinosinusitis.
"Specifically, in the future, sweet-receptor blockers, which are known and used in some food and supplement products, may be useful to block activation of T1R, which would allow the body's normal defenses to work properly, even when high concentrations of D-amino acids are present," said the study's lead author Robert Lee, PhD, an assistant professor of Otorhinolaryngology and Physiology at Penn.
The researchers are developing such a therapy, and a patent on their work is pending.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Breast cancer charities: How to make an impact

Breast cancer charities: How to make an impact With thousands of charities competing for donations, it can be difficult to know where a financial gift to a good cause will make the biggest impact. This article outlines the top  breast cancer  charities in the United States and their specific contributions to the cause, plus other factors to keep in mind before donating. The history of the pink ribbon The pink ribbon is a symbol of breast cancer and is often sold to raise money for breast cancer charities. Breast cancer activist and survivor Charlotte Hayley inspired the design of the pink ribbon, which is still in use today. Hayley initially handed out peach-coloured looped ribbons that she made herself with a card stating: "The National Cancer Institute's annual budget is $1.8 billion, only 5 percent goes for  cancer  prevention. Help us wake up our legislators and America by wearing this ribbon." In 1991, the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundati...
Read more

Lung cancer and cough: What is the connection?

Image
Lung cancer and cough: What is the connection? Everyone has experienced a nagging cough after a cold or needed to cough while in a quiet room. Despite these problems, coughing actually serves a very valuable and useful purpose. Coughing is a protective action, helping the lungs clear out potential germs or harmful objects.  Sometimes, however, that cough is not linked to a cold or infection and can linger for weeks to months at a time. This may lead people to wonder or worry that their cough is a sign of something more serious, such as  lung cancer . This article takes a look at the connection between coughing and lung cancer, including when someone should see a doctor. Coughing and lung cancer A cough associated with lung cancer may be either dry or wet. Not every a cough signifies the presence of lung cancer. However, many people do complain of a chronic cough or a "cough that just won't go away" at the time of their diagnosis. If a cough is associate...
Read more

For people with Type 2 diabetes, there is an additional incentive for keeping the disease under management

For people with Type 2 diabetes, there is an additional incentive for keeping the disease under management  Research shows a possible link between diabetes and cognitive decline, including increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia. The scientific reason behind the link between diabetes and brain health is complex. Some scientists believe people with diabetes may also have insulin resistance or insulin deficiency that could damage brain cells enough to cause memory loss. Studies are underway to understand why 80 percent of people with Alzheimer’s disease also have some form of diabetes or disturbed glucose metabolism. However, so far, longitudinal research has not produced a consensus view regarding the link between blood glucose levels and cognitive impairment. Meanwhile, in South Florida, medical professionals are working with diabetic patients to minimize the risk of cognitive decline through a variety of methods that include lifestyle, medical and mental-...
Read more