Two-generation exposure to a high-fat diet induces the change of salty taste preference in rats

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 13; no. 1; p. 5742
• Main Authors: Serirukchutarungsee, Saranya, Watari, Ippei, Narukawa, Masataka, Podyma-Inoue, Katarzyna Anna, Sangsuriyothai, Pornchanok, Ono, Takashi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Nature Publishing Group 07.04.2023; Nature Publishing Group UK; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: Angiotensin; Angiotensin II; Animals; Body Weight; Diet; Diet, High-Fat - adverse effects; Dysgeusia; Female; Females; Food Preferences; High fat diet; Lactation; Male; Offspring; Papillae; Pregnancy; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Reverse transcription; Risk factors; Salty taste; Sour taste; Taste; Taste Buds - metabolism; Taste Perception; Umami
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31662-0

High-fat diet (HFD) leads to multiple complications, including taste alteration. This study observed the effect of a two-generation exposure to an HFD on the peripheral taste system in offspring. Ten pregnant Wistar rats were assigned a standard diet (SD) (n = 5) or HFD (n = 5) from day 7 of pregnancy through the lactation. Thirty-six male and female 3-week-old offspring were measured for body weight and blood glucose level, and the circumvallate papillae were collected. The other twenty-four 3-week-old offspring were weaned on the same diet as their mothers and raised individually. The taste preference behaviors were studied using the two-bottle taste preference test and analyzed five basic tastes (sweet, bitter, umami, sour, and salty). The expressions of epithelial sodium channel alpha subunit (ENaCα) and angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AT1) in the circumvallate papilla were analyzed by immunohistochemical staining and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). We found increased body weight and salty taste preference of offspring from the HFD group in both sexes. Correspondingly, the AT1 level of the taste bud cells significantly increased in 3-week-old female offspring from the HFD group. An increase in AT1 levels may be a risk factor for changes in salty taste preference.