AI Article Synopsis
- The TAS2R38 gene, linked to bitter taste sensitivity, has been identified as a genetic risk factor for Parkinson's disease (PD), suggesting a connection between taste perception and PD risk.
- A study of 39 PD patients showed that many had reduced sensitivity to a bitter compound (PROP) and carried a non-functional variant of TAS2R38, correlating with less diversity in gut bacteria, particularly a reduction in the Clostridium genus.
- The findings indicate that the non-taster form of TAS2R38 might negatively impact gut health and protective signalling in the body, highlighting the need for further research on gut microbiota and sensory perception in Parkinson's disease.
Article Abstract
The non-tasting form of the bitter taste receptor, TAS2R38, has been shown as a genetic risk factor associated with the development of Parkinson's disease (PD). Specific taste receptors that are expressed in the lower gastrointestinal tract may respond to alteration in gut microbiota composition, detecting bacterial molecules, and regulate immune responses. Given the importance of brain-gut-microbiota axis and gene-environment interactions in PD, we investigate the associations between the genetic variants of TAS2R38 and gut microbiota composition in 39 PD patients. The results confirm that the majority of PD patients have reduced sensitivity to 6-n-propylthiouracil (PROP) and are carriers of at least one non-functional TAS2R38 AVI haplotype. Moreover, we found this correlation to be associated with a reduction in bacteria alpha-diversity with a predominant reduction of Clostridium genus. We hypothesised that the high frequency of the non-taster form of TAS2R38 associated with a diminuition of Clostridium bacteria in PD might determine a reduction in the activation of protective signalling-molecules useful in preserving gut homeostasis. This pilot study, by identifying a decrease in specific bacteria associated with a reduced sensitivity to PROP, adds essential information that opens new avenues of research into the association of PD microbiota composition and sensory modification.
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| http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.09.056 | DOI Listing |
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