Leptin increases temperature-dependent chorda tympani nerve responses to sucrose in mice

Leptin receptors are present in taste buds and previous research indicates that leptin administration modified electrophysiological and behavioral responses to sweet taste. It is now known that sweet taste is temperature dependent. We examined the influence of (1) stimulus temperature on chorda tympani (CT) nerve responses to sucrose, saccharin and NH4Cl; and (2) leptin administration on CT nerve responses to sucrose, saccharin and other basic taste stimuli at 35 °C that maximized sweet-taste sensitivity in C57BL/6 mice. We found that the CT nerve responded with greater magnitude to sucrose and saccharin as stimulus temperature increased from 23 to 35 °C and then declined at higher temperatures. In contrast, the CT nerve responses to NH4Cl increased in magnitude as temperature increased from 23 to 44 °C. We also showed that leptin selectively increased the CT nerve responses to sucrose at 35 °C in both fasted and free-fed mice. The responses of mice treated with the saline vehicle did not change. Our findings are consistent with the notion that leptin binds with its receptors in fungiform taste buds and alters the message conveyed by sugar-responsive neurons to the brain.

► We examined the influence of the satiety hormone leptin on taste. ► We examined the influence of stimulus on sweet and salt taste. ► Leptin increased taste nerve responses to sucrose. ► Taste nerve responses to sucrose are temperature dependent.