Top

European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology

Published in:

01-03-2019 | Propylthiouracil | Rhinology

Detection thresholds for quinine, PTC, and PROP measured using taste strips

Authors: Annachiara Cavazzana, Antti Knaapila, Florian Roßkopf, Pengfei Han, Thomas Hummel

Published in: European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology | Issue 3/2019

Abstract

Purpose

In clinical practice, when ability to perceive bitter taste is studied, quinine is preferred to phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) and 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) as taste stimulus, because many subjects are genetically non-tasters for PTC/PROP. However, it is poorly known how sensitive anterior (front) and posterior (back) parts of the tongue are to different bitter tastants that are detected by different bitter taste receptors (TAS2Rs). In the present study, we aimed to characterize sensitivity to bitter taste at front and back parts of tongue.

Methods

We measured thresholds for quinine, PTC, and PROP using the “taste strips”, employing seven concentrations of each stimulus both at front and back parts of tongue in 203 healthy participants (56% females, mean age 28 years).

Results

Our data confirmed the hypothesis that the inability to perceive quinine was less frequent than the inability to perceive PTC and PROP: People can still perceive the bitter taste of quinine even if they are “non-tasters” for PROP/PTC. As expected, strong correlations between PTC and PROP thresholds were observed. Interestingly, correlations between thresholds for quinine and PTC/PROP also emerged. Overall, the detection thresholds were lower when measured at front part of the tongue.

Conclusions

Our data suggest that determining taster status for quinine using paper “taste strips”, applied to front part of the tongue, represents a suitable method for the screening for ageusia for bitter taste.

Available only for authorised users

Sternini C (2007) Taste receptors in the gastrointestinal tract. IV. Functional implications of bitter taste receptors in gastrointestinal chemosensing. Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol 292:G457–G461. https://doi.org/10.1152/ajpgi.00411.2006 CrossRefPubMed

Adler E, Hoon MA, Mueller KL, Chandrashekar J, Ryba NJ, Zuker CS (2000) A novel family of mammalian taste receptors. Cell 100:693–702. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0092-8674(00)80705-9 CrossRefPubMed

Matsunami H, Montmayeur JP, Buck LB (2000) A family of candidate taste receptors in human and mouse. Nature 404:601–604. https://doi.org/10.1038/35007072 CrossRefPubMed

Drayna D (2005) Human taste genetics. Annu Rev Genomics Hum Genet 6:217–235. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.genom.6.080604.162340 CrossRefPubMed

Hoppu U, Knaapila A, Laaksonen O, Sandell M (2016) Genetic basis of flavor sensitivity and food preferences. Flavor: from food to behaviors. Wellbeing Health. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-100295-7.00010-4 CrossRef

Bufe B, Breslin PAS, Kuhn C, Reed DR, Tharp CD, Slack JP et al (2005) The molecular basis of individual differences in phenylthiocarbamide and propylthiouracil bitterness perception. Curr Biol 15:322–327. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2005.01.047 CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Hayes JE, Bartoshuk LM, Kidd JR, Duffy VB (2008) Supertasting and PROP bitterness depends on more than the TAS2R38 gene. Chem Senses 33:255–265. https://doi.org/10.1093/chemse/bjm084 CrossRefPubMed

Cohen L, de Moor C, Eisenberg P, Ming EE, Hu H (2007) Chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting: incidence and impact on patient quality of life at community oncology settings. Support Care Cancer 15:497–503. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-006-0173-z CrossRefPubMed

Fox AL (1932) The relationship between chemical constitution and taste. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 18:115–120CrossRefPubMed

10.

Hall MJ, Bartoshuk LM, Cain WS, Stevens JC (1975) PTC taste blindness and the taste of caffeine. Nature 253:442–443. https://doi.org/10.1038/253442a0 CrossRefPubMed

11.

Bartoshuk LM, Duffy VB, Miller IJ (1994) PTC/PROP tasting: anatomy, psychophysics, and sex effects. Physiol Behav. https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9384(94)90361-1 PubMedCrossRef

12.

Bartoshuk LM (2000) Comparing sensory experiences across individuals: recent psychophysical advances illuminate genetic variation in taste perception. Chem Senses 25:447–460. https://doi.org/10.1093/chemse/25.4.447 CrossRefPubMed

13.

Fox A (1931) Six in ten “tasteblind” to bitter chemical. Sci News Lett 9:249

14.

Delwiche JF, Buletic Z, Breslin P (2001) Covariation in individuals’ sensitivities to bitter compounds: evidence supporting multiple receptor/transduction mechanisms. Percept Psychophys 63:761–776. https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03194436 CrossRefPubMed

15.

Gent JF, Bartoshuk LM (1983) Sweetness of sucrose, neohesperidin dihydrochalcone, and saccharin is related to genetic ability to taste the bitter substance 6-n-propylthiouracil. Chem Senses 7:265–272. https://doi.org/10.1093/chemse/7.3-4.265 CrossRef

16.

Lawless HT (1980) A comparison of different methods used to assess sensitivity to the PTC. Chem senses 5:256–257CrossRef

17.

Leach EJ, Noble AC (1986) Comparison of bitterness of caffeine and quinine by a time–intensity procedure. Chem Senses 11:339–345. https://doi.org/10.1093/chemse/11.3.339 CrossRef

18.

Chang WI, Chung JW, Kim YK, Chung SC, Kho HS (2006) The relationship between phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) and 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) taster status and taste thresholds for sucrose and quinine. Arch Oral Biol 51:427–432. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.archoralbio.2005.10.002 CrossRefPubMed

19.

Bartoshuk LM (1979) Bitter taste of saccharin related to the genetic ability to taste the bitter substance 6-n-propylthiouracil. Science 205:934–935. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.472717 CrossRefPubMed

20.

Frank RA, Korchmar DL (1985) Gustatory processing differences in PTC tasters and non-tasters: a reaction time analysis. Physiol Behav 35:239–242. https://doi.org/10.1016/0031-9384(85)90343-9 CrossRefPubMed

21.

Mela DJ (1989) Bitter taste intensity: the effect of tastant and thiourea taster status. Chem Senses 14:131–135. https://doi.org/10.1093/chemse/14.1.131 CrossRef

22.

Schifferstein HNJ, Frijters JER (1991) The perception of the taste of KCl, NaCl, and quinine HCl is not related to PROP sensitivity. Chem Senses 16:303–317CrossRef

23.

Yokomukai Y, Cowart BJ, Beauchamp GK (1993) Individual differences in sensitivity to bitter-tasting substances. Chem Senses 18:669–681. https://doi.org/10.1093/chemse/18.6.669 CrossRef

24.

Fischer R, Griffin F (1963) Quinine dimorphism: a cardinal determinant of taste sensitivity. Nature 200:343–347. https://doi.org/10.1038/200343a0 CrossRefPubMed

25.

Lawless H (1979) The taste of creatine and creatinine. Chem Senses 4:249–258. https://doi.org/10.1093/chemse/4.3.249 CrossRef

26.

Schiffman SS, Gatlin LA, Frey AE, Heiman SA, Stagner WC, Cooper DC (1994) Taste perception of bitter compounds in young and elderly persons: relation to lipophilicity of bitter compounds. Neurobiol Aging 15:743–750. https://doi.org/10.1016/0197-4580(94)90057-4 CrossRefPubMed

27.

Keast RSJ, Roper J (2007) A complex relationship among chemical concentration, detection threshold, and suprathreshold intensity of bitter compounds. Chem Senses 32:245–253. https://doi.org/10.1093/chemse/bjl052 CrossRefPubMed

28.

Henkin RI, Christiansen RL (1967) Taste localization on the tongue, palate, and pharynx of normal man. J Appl Physiol 22:316–320CrossRefPubMed

29.

Sato K, Endo S, Tomita H (2002) Sensitivity of three loci on the tongue and soft palate to four basic tastes in smokers and non-smokers. Acta Otolaryngol. https://doi.org/10.1080/00016480260046445 PubMedCrossRef

30.

Nordin S, Brämerson A, Bringlöv E, Kobal G, Hummel T, Bende M (2007) Substance and tongue-region specific loss in basic taste-quality identification in elderly adults. Eur Arch Oto-Rhino-Laryngol 264:285–289. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-006-0169-9 CrossRef

31.

Meyerhof W, Batram C, Kuhn C, Brockhoff A, Chudoba E, Bufe B et al (2009) The molecular receptive ranges of human TAS2R bitter taste receptors. Chem Senses 35:157–170. https://doi.org/10.1093/chemse/bjp092 CrossRefPubMed

32.

Mueller C, Kallert S, Renner B, Stiassny K, Temmel AFP, Hummel T et al (2003) Quantitative assessment of gustatory function in a clinical context using impregnated “taste strips”. Rhinology 41:2–6. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12677732

33.

Landis BN, Welge-Luessen A, Brämerson A, Bende M, Mueller CA, Nordin S et al (2009) “Taste Strips”—a rapid, lateralized, gustatory bedside identification test based on impregnated filter papers. J Neurol 256:242–248. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-009-0088-y CrossRefPubMed

34.

Reed DR, Zhu G, Breslin PAS, Duke FF, Henders AK, Campbell MJ et al (2010) The perception of quinine taste intensity is associated with common genetic variants in a bitter receptor cluster on chromosome 12. Hum Mol Genet 19:4278–4285. https://doi.org/10.1093/hmg/ddq324 CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

35.

Hayes JE, Keast RSJ (2011) Two decades of supertasting: where do we stand? Physiol Behav 104:1072–1074. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2011.08.003 CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Title: Detection thresholds for quinine, PTC, and PROP measured using taste strips
Authors: Annachiara Cavazzana
Antti Knaapila
Florian Roßkopf
Pengfei Han
Thomas Hummel
Publication date: 01-03-2019
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Keyword: Propylthiouracil
Published in: European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology / Issue 3/2019
Print ISSN: 0937-4477
Electronic ISSN: 1434-4726
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-018-05266-8

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on sleep in brain health

Springer Medicine

Detection thresholds for quinine, PTC, and PROP measured using taste strips

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on sleep in brain health

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 3/2019

Pediatric otogenic lateral sinus thrombosis: focus on the prognostic role of contralateral venous drainage

Updated Sniffin’ Sticks normative data based on an extended sample of 9139 subjects

Prof. Heinz Stammberger, MD (Hon. FRCS (Ed.), Hon. FRCS (Engl.), Hon. FACS) December 1st 1946–December 9th 2018

Is CT or MRI the optimal imaging investigation for the diagnosis of large vestibular aqueduct syndrome and large endolymphatic sac anomaly?

ELS live surgery: a developing story

Influence of external ear occlusion on food perception