Human salty taste receptor and methods of modulating salty taste perception
AssigneeMonell Chemical Senses Center
InventorsJoseph G. Brand, Taufiqul Huque
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Abstract
Methods for identifying modulators of the epithelial sodium ion channel and for identifying modulators of salty taste perception are described. Also featured are isolated human salty taste receptors, artificial lipid bilayers comprising an epithelial sodium ion channels, and kits for practicing the claimed methods.
Claims26
A method for identifying modulators of epithelial sodium ion channels, comprising:
- assembling at least one epithelial sodium ion channel in an artificial lipid membrane, wherein the epithelial sodium ion channel comprises at least three subunits, wherein the subunits are independently an alpha subunit, a beta subunit, a gamma subunit, a delta subunit or an epsilon subunit;
- contacting the ion channel with a test compound in the presence of sodium or lithium;
- and
- determining a modulation of the biological activity of the epithelial sodium ion channel in the presence of the test compound relative to the biological activity of the epithelial sodium ion channel in the absence of the test compound.
An artificial lipid membrane comprising at least one type of phospholipid and an epithelial sodium ion channel or specific ratios of epithelial sodium ion channel subunits, wherein the subunits are independently an alpha subunit, a beta subunit, a gamma subunit, a delta subunit, or an epsilon subunit.
A method for identifying modulators of salty taste perception, comprising:
- assembling at least one epithelial sodium ion channel in an artificial lipid membrane, wherein the epithelial sodium ion channel comprises at least one beta subunit, at least one gamma subunit, and at least one delta subunit;
- contacting the ion channel with a test compound in the presence of sodium or lithium;
- determining a modulation of the biological activity of the epithelial sodium ion channel in the presence of the test compound relative to the biological activity of the epithelial sodium ion channel in the absence of the test compound;
- and
- administering the test compound to a subject and determining a modulation of salty taste perception in the subject relative to the level of salty taste perception in the subject in the absence of the test compound.
An isolated human salty taste receptor comprising at least one beta polypeptide subunit, at least one gamma polypeptide subunit and at least one delta polypeptide subunit, wherein said delta polypeptide subunit comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:12.
A kit for identifying modulators of the human salty taste receptor comprising:
- at least one phospholipid;
- substantially purified epithelial sodium ion channel subunits comprising delta subunits, beta subunits, and gamma subunits;
- optionally comprising an epithelial sodium ion channel modulator, sodium or lithium;
- and
- instructions for using the kit in a method for identifying modulators of the human salty taste receptor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.