Section of Oral Neuroscience, Graduate School of Dental Science, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
Division of General Dentistry, Kyushu University Hospital, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
Int J Mol Sci. 2020 Nov 25;21(23):8958. doi: 10.3390/ijms21238958.
Taste disorders are common adverse effects of cancer chemotherapy that can reduce quality of life and impair nutritional status. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying chemotherapy-induced taste disorders remain largely unknown. Furthermore, there are no effective preventive measures for chemotherapy-induced taste disorders. We investigated the effects of a combination of three anticancer drugs (TPF: docetaxel, cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil) on the structure and function of mouse taste tissues and examined whether the drinking of ice-cold water after TPF administration would attenuate these effects. TPF administration significantly increased the number of cells expressing apoptotic and proliferative markers. Furthermore, TPF administration significantly reduced the number of cells expressing taste cell markers and the magnitudes of the responses of taste nerves to tastants. The above results suggest that anticancer drug-induced taste dysfunction may be due to a reduction in the number of taste cells expressing taste-related molecules. The suppressive effects of TPF on taste cell marker expression and taste perception were reduced by the drinking of ice-cold water. We speculate that oral cryotherapy with an ice cube might be useful for prophylaxis against anticancer drug-induced taste disorders in humans.
味觉障碍是癌症化疗的常见不良反应，会降低生活质量并损害营养状况。然而，化疗引起味觉障碍的分子机制在很大程度上仍不清楚。此外，目前尚无预防化疗引起味觉障碍的有效措施。我们研究了三种抗癌药物（TPF：多西他赛、顺铂和 5-氟尿嘧啶）联合应用对小鼠味觉组织结构和功能的影响，并探讨了 TPF 给药后饮用冰水是否会减轻这些影响。TPF 给药显著增加了表达凋亡和增殖标志物的细胞数量。此外，TPF 给药还显著减少了表达味觉细胞标志物的细胞数量，并降低了味觉神经对味觉刺激的反应幅度。上述结果表明，抗癌药物引起的味觉功能障碍可能是由于表达味觉相关分子的味觉细胞数量减少所致。饮用冰水可降低 TPF 对味觉细胞标志物表达和味觉感知的抑制作用。我们推测，用冰块进行口腔冷冻疗法可能有助于预防人类抗癌药物引起的味觉障碍。
