New research has found that bitter flavor receptors in our skin cells can help eliminate toxic substances.
Biologists at the University of Science of Okayama have discovered a new function for bitter flavor receptors in human skin cells. The discovery gives potential revelations about cellular defense mechanisms.
Previously, these receivers, known as Type 2 Flavor Receptors (TAS2Rs), were thought to be existed only in the languagebut they are also present on the skin, colon, stomach and upper airways. The new, published in FASEB BioAdvancessuggests that these receivers can help the skin to expel harmful substances Before they cause cellular damage.
While the bitter flavor receptors in the mouth probably evolved to prevent toxic substances from ingesting, their function on the skin was less clear. Researchers focused on keratinocytesthe main type of cell in the outer layer of the skin, and in its reaction to the bitter pheni -pile compound (PTC). PTC is a substance used in studies on the genetics of taste perception, explains the.
When keratinocytes detected the PTC, the TAS2Rs activated a process that increased the production of ABC carriers – proteins that help move compounds through cell membranes. This allowed cells expelled the bitter compound effectively.
To test this system, the team used a visible dye that could only leave the cell through a specific ABC carrier. When the carrier was inhibited using Verapamil, the dye could not escape, confirming the role of the carrier in the elimination of harmful substances.
Researchers have found that TAS2RS activation can offer protective benefits. Cells exposed to toxic levels of antihistamines presented higher survival rates when their bitter taste receivers had been previously stimulated. The authors of the study believe that safe activators of these receptors may become promising treatments to increase the excretion of toxic skin substances.
