Melis Melania, Mastinu Mariano, Pintus Stefano, Cabras Tiziana, Crnjar Roberto, Tomassini Barbarossa Iole
Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, Monserrato, 09042 Cagliari, Italy.
Obesity Surgical Unit ARNAS G. Brotzu, 09121 Cagliari, Italy.
Molecules. 2021 Apr 13;26(8):2244. doi: 10.3390/molecules26082244.
Taste plays an important role in processes such as food choices, nutrition status and health. Salivary proteins contribute to taste sensitivity. Taste reduction has been associated with obesity. Gender influences the obesity predisposition and the genetic ability to perceive the bitterness of 6--propylthiouracil (PROP), oral marker for food preferences and consumption. We investigated variations in the profile of salivary proteome, analyzed by HPLC-ESI-MS, between sixty-one normal weight subjects (NW) and fifty-seven subjects with obesity (OB), based on gender and PROP sensitivity. Results showed variations of taste-related salivary proteins between NW and OB, which were differently associated with gender and PROP sensitivity. High levels of Ps-1, II-2 and IB-1 proteins belonging to basic proline rich proteins (bPRPs) and PRP-1 protein belonging to acid proline rich proteins (aPRPs) were found in OB males, who showed a lower body mass index (BMI) than OB females. High levels of Ps-1 protein and Cystatin SN (Cyst SN) were found in OB non-tasters, who had lower BMI than OB super-tasters. These new insights on the role of salivary proteins as a factor driving the specific weight gain of OB females and super-tasters, suggest the use of specific proteins as a strategic tool modifying taste responses related to eating behavior.
味觉在食物选择、营养状况和健康等过程中起着重要作用。唾液蛋白有助于味觉敏感度。味觉减退与肥胖有关。性别会影响肥胖易感性以及感知6-丙基硫氧嘧啶（PROP）苦味的遗传能力，PROP是食物偏好和摄入量的口腔标志物。我们基于性别和PROP敏感性，研究了通过高效液相色谱-电喷雾质谱（HPLC-ESI-MS）分析的61名正常体重受试者（NW）和57名肥胖受试者（OB）之间唾液蛋白质组谱的差异。结果显示，NW和OB之间味觉相关唾液蛋白存在差异，且这些差异与性别和PROP敏感性的关联各不相同。在OB男性中发现了高水平的属于碱性富含脯氨酸蛋白（bPRPs）的Ps-1、II-2和IB-1蛋白以及属于酸性富含脯氨酸蛋白（aPRPs）的PRP-1蛋白，这些男性的体重指数（BMI）低于OB女性。在OB无味觉者中发现了高水平的Ps-1蛋白和胱抑素SN（Cyst SN），这些人的BMI低于OB超级味觉者。这些关于唾液蛋白作为驱动OB女性和超级味觉者特定体重增加因素的新见解，表明可将特定蛋白质用作改变与饮食行为相关味觉反应的战略工具。
