K. Kock et al., DENATONIUM BITTER-TASTING AMONG TRANSGENIC MICE EXPRESSING RAT VON EBNERS GLAND PROTEIN, Physiology & behavior, 56(6), 1994, pp. 1173-1177
Von Ebner's gland protein (VEGP) is a secretory protein, which is abun
dantly expressed in the small von Ebner's salivary glands of the tongu
e. VEGP as component of the perireceptor environment around taste papi
llae might function as transporter of hydrophobic molecules, for examp
le bitter substances. Here we report a new approach to investigate the
physiological role of VEGP by expression of the cloned rat VEGP gene
in transgenic mice. Taste papillae of mice, in contrast to rats, do no
t contain VEGP. The founder mouse 4345 and three offspring carry the t
ransgene as shown by PCR analysis and saliva of the transgenic mice co
ntains high amounts of VEGP. In two-bottle preference tests, transgeni
c and nontransgenic siblings show significantly different capabilities
to taste the bitter compound denatonium benzoate at 10 mu M. The redu
ced sensitivity of transgenic mice to denatonium benzoate points to a
clearance function of VEGP the specificity of which for taste compound
s and other molecules remains to be seen.