Heightened avidity for trisodium pyrophosphate in mice lacking Tas1r3

Chem Senses. 2015 Jan;40(1):53-9. doi: 10.1093/chemse/bju059. Epub 2014 Dec 1.

Abstract

Laboratory rats and mice prefer some concentrations of tri- and tetrasodium pyrophosphate (Na3HP2O7 and Na4P2O7) to water, but how they detect pyrophosphates is unknown. Here, we assessed whether T1R3 is involved. We found that relative to wild-type littermate controls, Tas1r3 knockout mice had stronger preferences for 5.6-56mM Na3HP2O7 in 2-bottle choice tests, and they licked more 17.8-56mM Na3HP2O7 in brief-access tests. We hypothesize that pyrophosphate taste in the intact mouse involves 2 receptors: T1R3 to produce a hedonically negative signal and an unknown G protein-coupled receptor to produce a hedonically positive signal; in Tas1r3 knockout mice, the hedonically negative signal produced by T1R3 is absent, leading to a heightened avidity for pyrophosphate.

Keywords: T1R3; intake; palatability; preference; taste.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Choice Behavior / drug effects*
  • Diphosphates / pharmacology*
  • Food Preferences / drug effects
  • Genotype
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / deficiency
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / genetics*
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / metabolism
  • Sodium Chloride / pharmacology
  • Taste / drug effects

Substances

  • Diphosphates
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
  • taste receptors, type 1
  • Sodium Chloride
  • sodium pyrophosphate