Presentation Details
Disruption of Taste Cell Renewal in Diet-induced Obesity

Sabrina K Choi, Robin Dando.

Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA

Abstract


Diet-induced obesity is associated with reduced taste bud abundance and altered taste function in mice, yet the specific stage(s) of taste cell renewal that is disrupted by obesity remains unclear. Taste buds are continuously renewed through a tightly regulated signaling cascade involving progenitor cell maintenance, cellular proliferation, differentiation into mature taste cells, and programmed cell death. We hypothesize that obesity alters discrete stages of this renewal process, resulting in impaired incorporation of newly generated cells into the taste bud. To test this, we conducted a longitudinal EdU pulse-chase staining and immunohistochemistry study in lean and diet-induced obese mice across a time course of 56 days. Taste bud structure and abundance were assessed using KCNQ1, while proliferative activity and cell-cycle behavior were evaluated with Ki67 and EdU labeling. SOX2 was used to quantify the progenitor pool and progenitor entry into S-phase, and cleaved caspase-3 identified apoptotic events. Multiplex marker combinations (e.g., SOX2, Ki67, and EdU; KCNQ1, Caspase-3, and EdU) were also used to evaluate progenitor activation, cell-cycle exit, differentiation into taste buds, and preferential death of newly generated versus older cells. Using this approach, we aimed to characterize the stage-specific mechanisms by which obesity disrupts taste cell renewal, providing insight into potential strategies to restore taste function in obesity.  

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