Docosahexaenoic Acid and Eicosapentaenoic Acid Modulate Calcium Signaling in Murine CD36-Positive Taste Buds Cells, via Phospholipase Pathways

DHA （docosahexaenoic acid） and EPA （eicosapentaenoic acid） induced intracellular calcium increase in taste receptor cells purified from mouse circumvallate papillae. We have demonstrated that DHA and EPA induced calcium increase respectively via cPLA2 （cytosolic phospholipase A2） type lVc and calcium independent iPLA2 （phospholipase A2） type VI. Intracellular calcium increases via PLC （phospholipase C） pathway and leads to a calcium effiux and further SOC （stored operated calcium） channels activation. An abundant increase in intracellular calcium will induce exocytosis of neurotransmitters into the extracellular medium. Our results suggest that DHA and EPA induced calcium signaling, and should be implicated in the transmission of lipid gustatory information to afferent nerve fibers, as shown previously with linoleic acid.