Saccharin and aspartame excite rat retinal neurons
Retinal sensitivity to a variety of artificial sweeteners was tested by monitoring changes in internal free calcium in isolated retinal neurons using Fluo3. Several ligands, including aspartame and saccharin elevated internal free calcium. The effects of these ligands were mediated by both ligand-ga...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-11-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Ophthalmology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fopht.2023.1273575/full |
| _version_ | 1797501941458141184 |
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| author | Jaeyoung Yang Jason Myers Malcolm M. Slaughter |
| author_facet | Jaeyoung Yang Jason Myers Malcolm M. Slaughter |
| author_sort | Jaeyoung Yang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Retinal sensitivity to a variety of artificial sweeteners was tested by monitoring changes in internal free calcium in isolated retinal neurons using Fluo3. Several ligands, including aspartame and saccharin elevated internal free calcium. The effects of these ligands were mediated by both ligand-gated membrane channels and G-protein coupled receptors. We explored the receptors responsible for this phenomenon. Surprisingly, mRNA for subunits of the sweet taste receptor dimer (T1R2 and T1R3) were found in retina. Interestingly, knockdown of T1R2 reduced the response to saccharin but not aspartame. But TRPV1 channel antagonists suppressed the responses to aspartame. The results indicate that artificial sweeteners can increase internal free calcium in the retinal neurons through multiple pathways. Furthermore, aspartame reduced the b-wave, but not the a-wave, of the electroretinogram, indicating disruption of communication between photoreceptors and second order neurons. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:25:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d4a2918f366f422d92e5641b4198b671 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2674-0826 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:25:47Z |
| publishDate | 2023-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Ophthalmology |
| spelling | doaj.art-d4a2918f366f422d92e5641b4198b6712023-11-23T09:52:36ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Ophthalmology2674-08262023-11-01310.3389/fopht.2023.12735751273575Saccharin and aspartame excite rat retinal neuronsJaeyoung YangJason MyersMalcolm M. SlaughterRetinal sensitivity to a variety of artificial sweeteners was tested by monitoring changes in internal free calcium in isolated retinal neurons using Fluo3. Several ligands, including aspartame and saccharin elevated internal free calcium. The effects of these ligands were mediated by both ligand-gated membrane channels and G-protein coupled receptors. We explored the receptors responsible for this phenomenon. Surprisingly, mRNA for subunits of the sweet taste receptor dimer (T1R2 and T1R3) were found in retina. Interestingly, knockdown of T1R2 reduced the response to saccharin but not aspartame. But TRPV1 channel antagonists suppressed the responses to aspartame. The results indicate that artificial sweeteners can increase internal free calcium in the retinal neurons through multiple pathways. Furthermore, aspartame reduced the b-wave, but not the a-wave, of the electroretinogram, indicating disruption of communication between photoreceptors and second order neurons.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fopht.2023.1273575/fullTRPV1sweet taste receptorinternal calciumelectroretinogramglucose |
| spellingShingle | Jaeyoung Yang Jason Myers Malcolm M. Slaughter Saccharin and aspartame excite rat retinal neurons Frontiers in Ophthalmology TRPV1 sweet taste receptor internal calcium electroretinogram glucose |
| title | Saccharin and aspartame excite rat retinal neurons |
| title_full | Saccharin and aspartame excite rat retinal neurons |
| title_fullStr | Saccharin and aspartame excite rat retinal neurons |
| title_full_unstemmed | Saccharin and aspartame excite rat retinal neurons |
| title_short | Saccharin and aspartame excite rat retinal neurons |
| title_sort | saccharin and aspartame excite rat retinal neurons |
| topic | TRPV1 sweet taste receptor internal calcium electroretinogram glucose |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fopht.2023.1273575/full |
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