What the study found
Taste receptor gene variants were associated with body mass index (BMI) in ways that depended on the population and sex. The study also found different genotype and allele patterns in near centenarian participants compared with a control group.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors suggest these taste receptors may act beyond taste perception, as multifunctional chemosensors that influence feeding behavior, metabolic homeostasis, and energy balance. They conclude that these findings may help expand understanding of how taste receptor variants relate to phenotypic profiles associated with longevity.
What the researchers tested
The researchers compared genotype and allele frequencies for single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs, single-letter DNA variants) in TAS1R2, TAS1R3, TAS2R38, and CD36 between two populations: a cohort of near centenarian participants (LBZ) and a control cohort (CYME). They also assessed associations with BMI and sex.
What worked and what didn't
Significant differences were observed for TAS1R3, TAS2R38, and CD36 genotype and allele distributions between the two cohorts. In the LBZ cohort, specific genotypes such as TAS1R3 CC, TAS2R38 PAV/PAV, and CD36 AA were most frequent and were reported as likely contributing to favorable phenotypes, but they showed no effect in the more heterogeneous urban CYME population.
What to keep in mind
The abstract describes two genetically and environmentally distinct populations, so the findings may not apply in the same way across other groups. It also states that the variants modulated BMI in a population- and sex-dependent manner, but does not provide additional limitations in the available summary.
Key points
- Taste receptor variants in TAS1R2, TAS1R3, TAS2R38, and CD36 were linked to BMI in a population- and sex-dependent manner.
- Near centenarian participants and control participants showed significant differences in TAS1R3, TAS2R38, and CD36 genotype and allele distributions.
- In the LBZ cohort, TAS1R3 CC, TAS2R38 PAV/PAV, and CD36 AA were the most frequent genotypes.
- Those LBZ genotypes were reported as likely contributing to favorable phenotypes, but they showed no effect in the CYME cohort.
- The authors suggest taste receptors may influence feeding behavior, metabolic homeostasis, and energy balance beyond taste perception.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Taste receptor variants were linked to BMI differences and longevity-related profiles
- Image credit:
- Photo by congerdesign on Pixabay
Get the weekly research newsletter
Stay current with peer-reviewed research without reading academic papers — one filtered digest, every Friday.