Heart Contains ‘Sweet Taste’ Receptors, Can Detect Artificial Sweeteners: Research

New York, Feb 16 (NationPress) Researchers have discovered that the heart is equipped with “sweet taste” receptors, akin to those found on our tongues, and activating these receptors with sweet substances can influence the heartbeat.

This revelation opens new pathways for comprehending heart functionality and could lead to innovative treatments for heart failure.

The research indicates that these receptors are functional and present not just on heart muscle but also in other areas.

When the research team stimulated these receptors in human and mouse heart cells using aspartame, a widely used artificial sweetener, they noted a substantial enhancement in the force of heart contraction and improved calcium handling – essential for maintaining a healthy heartbeat.

Traditionally, taste receptors have been linked exclusively to the tongue and flavor perception, but recent findings reveal their existence in various body parts, likely serving diverse functions.

This study is the first to pinpoint specific “sweet taste” receptors, identified as TAS1R2 and TAS1R3, located on heart muscle cell surfaces.

“After consuming a meal, it’s been observed that your heart rate and blood pressure rise,” explained Micah Yoder, a graduate student in Jonathan Kirk’s lab at Loyola University Chicago.

Previously, this was thought to be governed by a neural pathway.

“However, we propose a more direct impact, where a spike in blood sugar following a meal binds to these sweet taste receptors on heart muscle cells, affecting the heartbeat,” he added.

Interestingly, the researchers also noted that these receptors were more prevalent in individuals suffering from heart failure, suggesting a potential connection to the disease.

Further analysis indicated that activating these receptors initiates a series of molecular events within heart cells, involving crucial proteins that regulate calcium flow and muscle contraction.

Moreover, their findings may clarify why a high intake of artificially sweetened beverages is associated with arrhythmogenesis, or irregular heartbeat.

These sweet taste receptors are particularly responsive to artificial sweeteners like aspartame; however, excessive stimulation can lead to arrhythmic behavior in heart cells, as discovered by the researchers.

Nonetheless, more research is needed to comprehensively understand the long-term implications of activating these receptors in the heart and how they may be targeted to enhance heart strength in cases of heart failure.

This work is scheduled to be presented at the 69th Biophysical Society Annual Meeting in Los Angeles. The Biophysical Society is dedicated to advancing knowledge in the field of biophysics.