Olfactory Sensitivity Is Associated with Body Mass Index and Polymorphism in the Voltage-Gated Potassium Channels <i>Kv1.3</i>
Smell strongly contributes to food choice and its hedonistic evaluation. A reduction or loss of smell has been related to malnutrition problems, resulting in excessive weight loss or gain. Voltage-gated potassium channels Kv1.3 are widely expressed in the olfactory bulb, and contribute mainly to the...
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MDPI AG
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Nutrients |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/23/4986 |
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| author | Melania Melis Iole Tomassini Barbarossa Roberto Crnjar Giorgia Sollai |
| author_facet | Melania Melis Iole Tomassini Barbarossa Roberto Crnjar Giorgia Sollai |
| author_sort | Melania Melis |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Smell strongly contributes to food choice and its hedonistic evaluation. A reduction or loss of smell has been related to malnutrition problems, resulting in excessive weight loss or gain. Voltage-gated potassium channels Kv1.3 are widely expressed in the olfactory bulb, and contribute mainly to the value of the resting membrane potential and to the frequency of action potentials. Mutations in the <i>Kv1.3</i> gene are associated with alterations in glycemic homeostasis and olfactory sensitivity. We evaluated the olfactory performance in 102 healthy subjects and its association with BMI and polymorphism in the human <i>Kv1.3</i> gene. Olfactory performance, based on the olfactory threshold, discrimination and identification scores and their summed score (TDI), was measured using the “Sniffin’ Sticks” test. Subjects were genotyped for the <i>rs2821557</i> polymorphism of the <i>Kv1.3</i> gene, whose major allele T was associated with a super-smeller phenotype, lower plasma glucose levels and resistance to diet-induced obesity as compared with the minor allele C. Based on the <i>Kv1.3</i> genotype, the TDI and I olfactory scores obtained by the subjects were the following: TT > TC > CC. Subjects who were TT homozygous or heterozygous exhibited lower BMIs and reached higher olfactory scores than those with the CC genotype. The results were sex-dependent: heterozygous females performed better than heterozygous males. These findings show an inverse relationship between olfactory function and BMI, and a significant effect of the <i>Kv1.3</i> genotypes on the olfactory functions and on the BMIs of the subjects. Finally, they suggest that the sex-related differences in the olfactory function can be partially ascribed to the <i>Kv1.3</i> gene’s polymorphism. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T17:38:08Z |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T17:38:08Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
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| record_format | Article |
| series | Nutrients |
| spelling | doaj.art-df260d7c54a1473490cc931a6bf93a452023-11-24T11:50:15ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432022-11-011423498610.3390/nu14234986Olfactory Sensitivity Is Associated with Body Mass Index and Polymorphism in the Voltage-Gated Potassium Channels <i>Kv1.3</i>Melania Melis0Iole Tomassini Barbarossa1Roberto Crnjar2Giorgia Sollai3Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, CA, ItalyDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, CA, ItalyDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, CA, ItalyDepartment of Biomedical Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09042 Monserrato, CA, ItalySmell strongly contributes to food choice and its hedonistic evaluation. A reduction or loss of smell has been related to malnutrition problems, resulting in excessive weight loss or gain. Voltage-gated potassium channels Kv1.3 are widely expressed in the olfactory bulb, and contribute mainly to the value of the resting membrane potential and to the frequency of action potentials. Mutations in the <i>Kv1.3</i> gene are associated with alterations in glycemic homeostasis and olfactory sensitivity. We evaluated the olfactory performance in 102 healthy subjects and its association with BMI and polymorphism in the human <i>Kv1.3</i> gene. Olfactory performance, based on the olfactory threshold, discrimination and identification scores and their summed score (TDI), was measured using the “Sniffin’ Sticks” test. Subjects were genotyped for the <i>rs2821557</i> polymorphism of the <i>Kv1.3</i> gene, whose major allele T was associated with a super-smeller phenotype, lower plasma glucose levels and resistance to diet-induced obesity as compared with the minor allele C. Based on the <i>Kv1.3</i> genotype, the TDI and I olfactory scores obtained by the subjects were the following: TT > TC > CC. Subjects who were TT homozygous or heterozygous exhibited lower BMIs and reached higher olfactory scores than those with the CC genotype. The results were sex-dependent: heterozygous females performed better than heterozygous males. These findings show an inverse relationship between olfactory function and BMI, and a significant effect of the <i>Kv1.3</i> genotypes on the olfactory functions and on the BMIs of the subjects. Finally, they suggest that the sex-related differences in the olfactory function can be partially ascribed to the <i>Kv1.3</i> gene’s polymorphism.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/23/4986smellolfactory dysfunctionBMIvoltage-gated potassium channels Kv1.3sexSniffin’ Sticks |
| spellingShingle | Melania Melis Iole Tomassini Barbarossa Roberto Crnjar Giorgia Sollai Olfactory Sensitivity Is Associated with Body Mass Index and Polymorphism in the Voltage-Gated Potassium Channels <i>Kv1.3</i> Nutrients smell olfactory dysfunction BMI voltage-gated potassium channels Kv1.3 sex Sniffin’ Sticks |
| title | Olfactory Sensitivity Is Associated with Body Mass Index and Polymorphism in the Voltage-Gated Potassium Channels <i>Kv1.3</i> |
| title_full | Olfactory Sensitivity Is Associated with Body Mass Index and Polymorphism in the Voltage-Gated Potassium Channels <i>Kv1.3</i> |
| title_fullStr | Olfactory Sensitivity Is Associated with Body Mass Index and Polymorphism in the Voltage-Gated Potassium Channels <i>Kv1.3</i> |
| title_full_unstemmed | Olfactory Sensitivity Is Associated with Body Mass Index and Polymorphism in the Voltage-Gated Potassium Channels <i>Kv1.3</i> |
| title_short | Olfactory Sensitivity Is Associated with Body Mass Index and Polymorphism in the Voltage-Gated Potassium Channels <i>Kv1.3</i> |
| title_sort | olfactory sensitivity is associated with body mass index and polymorphism in the voltage gated potassium channels i kv1 3 i |
| topic | smell olfactory dysfunction BMI voltage-gated potassium channels Kv1.3 sex Sniffin’ Sticks |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/14/23/4986 |
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