Gustin concentration changes relative to salivary zinc and taste in humans.

Abstract

Medical SciencesGustin concentration changes relative to salivary zinc and taste in humans (zinc deficiency/zinc treatment/taste dysfunction/salivary proteins/parotid saliva)

Human salivary gustin is a potent activator of calmodulin-dependent brain phosphodiesterase.

“…Gustin levels have been shown to be depressed in saliva of some patients with hypogeusia (5) and associated with low levels of total zinc in parotid saliva (33) and with pathological changes in taste buds (34). Treatment of some of these patients with zinc increased gustin levels in saliva and was associated with improvement in taste function (5). Thus, the observation that gustin activates PDEase at physiological levels found in human saliva suggests that this activation may be one mechanism by which gustin influences taste function.…”

“…Gustin has been implicated in the growth and nutrition of taste buds (3), has physiological and biochemical properties similar to nerve growth factor (NGF) (3) and specifically displaces nerve growth factor from its binding sites on purified taste bud membranes (4). Studies in patients with hypogeusia, decreased taste acuity, showed that gustin concentration in some of these salivas was much lower than normal and that treatment with zinc, which increased saliva gustin concentration, returned taste function to or toward normal (5).…”

“…cAMP phosphodiesterase (PDEase; 3',5'-cyclic-nucleotide phosphodiesterase, EC 3.1.4.17) has also been reported to be involved in taste function (9)(10)(11)(12), specifically associated with taste bud membranes (12) and is inhibited by zinc, at relatively high concentrations (13), and thyroxine (14), both of which are required to maintain normal taste function (5,15,16).…”

Salivary proteome and glucose levels are related with sweet taste sensitivity in young adults

“…In general, CA-VI had higher expression levels in the saliva of low-sensitive individuals, whereas cystatins were increased in the individuals sensitive to this taste. Although its complete function remains to be elucidated, salivary CA-VI protein has been reported as a trophic factor in the growth and development of taste buds [27] and deficiencies in this protein have been associated with diminished gustatory perception [28]. In this context, higher levels of CA-VI could be expected in sensitive individuals rather than in lowsensitive subjects.…”

The Use of Electrophoresis for the Study of Saliva Involvement in Ingestive Behavior

“…Some of these proteins/peptides found in whole saliva have been suggested to act as factors implicated in the growth and renewal of taste buds. For example, carbonic anhydrase 6 (CA6 or gustin) levels are reduced in hypogeusic patients [23] and such patients also present taste bud anatomical abnormalities [24]. CA6 was therefore considered as a trophic factor involved in taste bud growth and development.…”