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| Poster #218 Role of the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor in Taste Cells |
| Salin Raj Palayyan & Sunil K Sukumaran Department of Nutrition and Health Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, United States |
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that is activated by dietary small molecules, microbial metabolites and pollutants. AHR is known to have varied roles in the regulation of epithelial regeneration, xenobiotic and drug detoxification, and host-microbiome interactions. In this study, we aimed to investigate the roles of AHR in taste cells using scRNASeq, RNAscope, immunohistochemistry, qPCR and brief access taste tests in C57BL/6J (WT), Ahr hypomorphic (Ahrfx/fx), and Ahr conditional knockout (AhrΔKrt5) mice. scRNASeq and histological analyses revealed Ahr expression in taste cells and duct cells of Von Ebner’s gland addition along with multiple subtypes of lingual immune cells including T and B cells, all three subtypes of innate lymphoid cells, monocytes, macrophages, Langerhans cells, neutrophils, and mast cells. RNAscope analysis showed widespread expression of the Ahr in the taste papillae and associated von Ebner’s glands. AhrΔKrt5 mice showed an altered preference for a subset of sweet and bitter taste stimuli. Finally, we determined the changes in gene expression in Ahrfx/fx and AhrΔKrt5 mice using bulk RNASeq. Our results show that Ahr is involved in taste signalling and might regulate taste gene expression and taste cell regeneration. In addition, we believe that Ahr may regulate taste-oral microbiome interaction and immunity. Our study lays the groundwork for future studies on the role of this fascinating transcription factor in taste papillae. |