This project focuses on disease states affect chemosensory epithelia. We turn our attention herein to two diseases-on involving taste, the other smell-possibly attributable to disturbances in the sensory epithelium: 1) radiation induced dysgeusia and 2) steroid dependent anosmia. We will utilize contemporary psychophysical, anatomical and physiological tests to examine the function and structure of the epithelium in control subjects and in the appropriate patient populations. This multidisciplinary approach will allow us to provide a more complete description of the functional and structural changes that correlate with sensory disturbances. Subjects diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the head or neck will be tested for gustatory function prior to, during and after radiation treatment. Quantitative and qualitative taste changes will be tracked throughout the time period of loss and recovery of function. Vital staining of the tongue will allow us to measure taste pore density. Biopsies of fungiform papillae will permit us to measure taste bud integrity and function by means of the markers gustducin and cytokeratin- 19. In order to allow comparison between psychophysical and anatomical observations, all measures will be performed on the same area of the anterior dorsal surface of the tongue. Likewise, we will test subjects with allergic rhinitis for olfactory function prior to, during and after topical steroid treatment. Both detection ability and supra-threshold intensity perception will be determined unilaterally. Two biopsies of the olfactory epithelium will be analyzed using three histochemical markers: olfactory marker protein (OMP) and GAP43 as measures of cell maturity, and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) to determine changes in GR distribution. Parallel changes in membrane current and intracellular calcium induced by stimulation with odors will be measured in isolated olfactory receptor neurons using loose patch recording by stimulation with odors will be measured in isolated olfactory receptor neurons using loose patch recording with simultaneous calcium imaging. In addition, in order to assess possible changes in mucus ion homeostasis in this disease state, we will determine mucus ion content by flame photometry and ratio-imaging of ion-specific dyes.

Project Start
2001-04-01
Project End
2002-03-31
Budget Start
Budget End
Support Year
17
Fiscal Year
2001
Total Cost
$243,335
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Colorado Denver
Department
Type
DUNS #
065391526
City
Aurora
State
CO
Country
United States
Zip Code
80045
Finger, Thomas E; Bartel, Dianna L; Shultz, Nicole et al. (2017) 5HTR3A-driven GFP labels immature olfactory sensory neurons. J Comp Neurol 525:1743-1755
Tizzano, Marco; Finger, Thomas E (2013) Chemosensors in the nose: guardians of the airways. Physiology (Bethesda) 28:51-60
Finger, Thomas E (2009) Evolution of gustatory reflex systems in the brainstems of fishes. Integr Zool 4:53-63
Ikenaga, Takanori; Ogura, Tatsuya; Finger, Thomas E (2009) Vagal gustatory reflex circuits for intraoral food sorting behavior in the goldfish: cellular organization and neurotransmitters. J Comp Neurol 516:213-25
Huesa, Gema; Ikenaga, Takanori; Bottger, Barbel et al. (2008) Calcium-fluxing glutamate receptors associated with primary gustatory afferent terminals in goldfish (Carassius auratus). J Comp Neurol 506:694-707
Finger, Thomas E (2008) Sorting food from stones: the vagal taste system in Goldfish, Carassius auratus. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 194:135-43
Yee, Cindy; Bartel, Dianna L; Finger, Thomas E (2005) Effects of glossopharyngeal nerve section on the expression of neurotrophins and their receptors in lingual taste buds of adult mice. J Comp Neurol 490:371-90
Linschoten, Miriam R; Harvey Jr, Lewis O (2004) Detecting malingerers by means of response-sequence analysis. Percept Psychophys 66:1190-201
Hall, Joshua M H; Bell, Melanie L; Finger, Thomas E (2003) Disruption of sonic hedgehog signaling alters growth and patterning of lingual taste papillae. Dev Biol 255:263-77
Finger, Thomas E; Bottger, Barbel; Hansen, Anne et al. (2003) Solitary chemoreceptor cells in the nasal cavity serve as sentinels of respiration. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 100:8981-6

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