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Functionally expressed bitter taste receptor TAS2R14 in human epidermal keratinocytes serves as a chemosensory receptor
Author(s) -
Ho Hilary KungYu,
Bigliardi Paul Lorenz,
Stelmashenko Olga,
Ramasamy Srinivas,
Postlethwaite Michael,
BigliardiQi Mei
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
experimental dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.108
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1600-0625
pISSN - 0906-6705
DOI - 10.1111/exd.14250
Subject(s) - sensory system , receptor , taste , sensory receptor , taste receptor , biology , keratinocyte , microbiology and biotechnology , human skin , mechanosensation , neuroscience , cell culture , biochemistry , ion channel , genetics
Traditionally, it is theorized that skin sensation is initiated when cutaneous sensory afferents and Merkel cells receive sensory stimuli, while epidermal keratinocytes were deemed to have no role. However, mounting evidence has shown that keratinocytes can initiate skin sensation by receiving sensory stimuli and transmitting sensory information to sensory afferents. Knowledge regarding the mechanisms by which keratinocytes receive exogenous stimuli is limited, with TRP channels and olfactory receptors having been proposed to serve as receptors for exogenous stimuli in keratinocytes. Recently, expression analyses have demonstrated the expression of multiple TAS2R genes in human skin. TAS2Rs are chemosensory GPCRs employed by taste cells to detect bitter‐tasting substances. However, only subtypes TAS2R1 and TAS2R38 have been characterized in epidermal keratinocytes. We present evidence suggesting that subtype TAS2R14 is functionally expressed in epidermal keratinocytes. TAS2R14 transcripts and protein were detected in primary and N/TERT‐1 keratinocytes. Additionally, keratinocytes responded to α‐thujone, a TAS2R14 ligand, with an increase in intracellular free Ca 2+ concentration. The tastant‐evoked Ca 2+ signals were found to be mediated by wild‐type TAS2R14 and heterotrimeric G proteins. We conclude that TAS2R14 serves as a chemosensory receptor in epidermal keratinocytes and hypothesize that it enables the cells to recognize potentially harmful chemical substances.