Umami Altering Salivary Proteome: A Study across a Sensitivity Spectrum on Subjects

• Published in: Journal of agricultural and food chemistry Vol. 72; no. 23; pp. 13451 - 13464
• Main Authors: Zhu, Yiwen, Feng, Xiaoxiao, Wang, Ziyu, Zhang, Yin, Zhang, Yuyu, Chen, Jianshe, Liu, Yuan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Chemical Society 12.06.2024
• Subjects: Adult; amino acids; biosynthesis; cytochrome P-450; Female; food chemistry; Humans; lipids; Male; monosodium glutamate; Omics Technologies Applied to Agriculture and Food; proteome; Proteome - metabolism; Proteomics; ribonucleoproteins; Saliva - chemistry; Saliva - metabolism; signal transduction; Sodium Glutamate; Taste; Taste Perception; taste receptors; taste sensitivity; umami; Young Adult; 4D data-independent acquisition; umami taste sensitivity; salivary proteome analysis; sensory receptors and signaling molecules
• ISSN: 0021-8561; 1520-5118; 1520-5118
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.4c01326

This study delved into the relationship between umami taste sensitivity (UTS) and variations in the salivary proteome among 12 healthy nonsmokers utilizing 4D data-independent acquisition-based proteomics. By assessing UTS through monosodium l-glutamate (MSG) detection thresholds, we discovered notable differences: individuals with high UTS detected umami at significantly lower MSG concentrations (0.20 ± 0.12 mM) compared to their low UTS counterparts (2.51 ± 1.21 mM). Both groups showed an upregulation of the S100A1 protein under MSG stimulation, indicating a potent biochemical response to umami stimuli. The high UTS group exhibited enhanced metabolic pathways including those for amino acid, lipid, and organic acid biosynthesis, essential for maintaining taste receptor functionality and enhancing signal transduction. This group also demonstrated increased activity in cytochrome P450 enzymes and ribonucleoprotein complexes, suggesting a readiness to manage metabolic challenges and optimize umami perception. In contrast, the low UTS group showed adaptive mechanisms, possibly through modulation of receptor availability and function, with an upregulation of structural and ribosomal proteins that may support taste receptor production and turnover. These findings suggest that varying biological mechanisms underpin differences in umami perception, which could significantly influence dietary preferences and nutritional outcomes, highlighting the intricate interplay of genetic, physiological, and metabolic factors in taste sensitivity.