that interact with dietary fat and affect BMI, and in this taste cell nuclei.
e cell nuclei. Taken together, the results suggest that
study, researchers analyzed dozens of variants of those sweet taste perception and intake, which are known to be genes and other genes frequently associated with obesity altered by stress, may be specifically affected via secretion risk. They saw that while total fat intake was related to of GCs and subsequent activation of GC receptors in taste higher BMI, people who were genetically predisposed to cells. Although stress is known to affect intake of salty obesity and ate the most saturated fat had the highest BMIs. foods, GC receptors were not found in cells thought to be The findings accounted for possible confounding factors responsible for detecting sally and sour taste. Possibly stress such as age, sex, and physical activity levels. The researchers may influence salt taste processing in the brain. think that people who have these obesity-predisposing Source: M. Rockwell Parker, et al. Expression a n d nuclear trans gene variants may be more sensitive to saturated fat. The location o f glucocorticoid receptors in type 2 taste receptor cells. genetic risk score could be useful in identifying people who Neurosci Lett. Ju n e 2014. DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2014.04.047. are predisposed to obesity, and possibly it could ultimately lead to personalized dietary recommendations. CAFFEINE AFFECTS BOYS AND GIRLS Source: Casas-Augustench P, et al. S aturated f a t in take m odulates the association between a n obesity genetic risk DIFFERENTLY AFTER PUBERTY score a n d body m ass in d ex in two U.S. populations [pub Caffeine intake by children and adolescents has been lished onlin e a h e a d o f p r in t M ay 2, 2014], J A c a d N u tr rising for decades, due in large part to the popularity of Diet. In press. DOI: 1 0 .1 0 l6 /j.ja n d .2 0 1 4 .0 3 014. caffeinated sodas and energy drinks, which now are mar keted to children as young as 4 years. Despite this, there is STRESS HORMONE RECEPTORS LOCALIZED little research on the effects of caffeine on young people. In a new study, after puberty, boys and girls were found to IN MOUSE SWEET TASTE CELLS experience different heart rate and blood pressure changes According to new research from Monell Center, receptors after consuming caffeine. Girls also exhibited some differ for stress-activated hormones have been localized in oral ences in caffeine effects over the course of their menstrual taste cells responsible for detection of sweet, umami, and cycles. Caffeine increases blood pressure and decreases bitter, at least in mice. Researchers believe that these hor heart rate in children, teens, and adults, including pread mones, the glucocorticoids (GCs), may act directly on taste olescent boys and girls. This study questioned whether receptor cells under conditions of stress to affect how these gender differences in cardiovascular responses to caffeine cells respond to sugars and certain other taste stimuli. Simply emerge after puberty and if those responses differed across put, the sweet taste may be particularly affected by stress, phases of the menstrual cycle. An interaction between gen and according to them, the study may provide a molecular der and caffeine dose was found, with boys having a greater mechanism to help explain why some people eat more response to caffeine than gills. There were also interactions sugary foods when they are experiencing intense stress. between pubertal phase, gender, and caffeine dose, with Glucocorticoid hormones affect the body by activating spe gender differences present in postpubertal, but not in pre cialized GC receptors located inside of cells. The researchers pubertal, participants. In the study, heart rate and blood used a mouse model to ask w hether taste receptor cells pressure were examined before and after administration of contain these GC receptors and found that GC receptors placebo and 2 doses of caffeine (1 and 2 mg/kg) in pre are present on the tongue, where they are specifically lo pubertal (8- to 9-year-old; n = 52) and postpubertal (15- to calized to the cells that contain receptors for sweet, umami, 17-year-old; n = 49) boys (n = 54) and girls (n = 47). The and bitter taste. The highest concentrations of GC receptors menstrual cycle is marked by changing levels of honnones, were found in Taslr3 taste cells, which are sensitive to which are the follicular phase, which begins on the first day sweet and umami taste. Glucocorticoid hormones act on of menstruation and ends with ovulation, and the luteal cells via a multistep process. After GCs bind to their re phase, which follows ovulation and is marked by signif ceptors within target cells, it is thought that the activated icantly higher levels of progesterone than the previous receptor complex moves, or translocates, to the cell nu phase. G ender differences may have been m ediated by cleus, where it then influences gene expression and pro physiological factors such as steroid horm one level or by tein assembly. To explore w hether GC receptors in taste differences in patterns of caffeine use, caffeine use by peers, tissue are activated by stress, the researchers compared the or more autonomy and control over beverage purchases. proportion of taste cells with translocated receptors in Source: Temple JL, et al. Cardiovascular responses to caf stressed and nonstressed mice. Com pared with controls, fe in e by gender an d p u b erta l stage [published a h ea d ofprint die stressed mice had a 77% increase in GC receptors within J u n e 16, 2014], Pediatrics. DOI: 10.1542/peds.2013-3962.
166 N u trition Today Volume 49, Number 4, July/August 2014
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