The TAS2R receptor signaling system – view of asthmologist

Since 2010, studies have been published that have found expression of bitter taste receptors Tas2R (the so-called extralingual or ectopic) on bronchial smooth muscle cells, and then on many other cells outside their canonical localization, in particular, on inflammatory cells. It was found that activation of Tas2R receptors, contrary to the bronchoconstrictor effect initially expected by the authors, led to more pronounced (3 times) bronchodilation than activation by β2-agonists. Over the past 15 years since the discovery of ectopic expression of Tas2R receptors in the respiratory system, a number of research areas have emerged and are developing in this new field of bronchial asthma research. These areas include: I – study of the expression of Tas2R receptor subtypes on bronchial smooth muscle; II – studies of the molecular mechanisms of Tas2R-signaling; III – studies of Tas2R receptor expression on respiratory system cells (ciliated epithelium) and on cells involved in allergic inflammation (lymphocytes, mast cells, macrophages, etc.); IV – studies of Tas2R gene polymorphisms and their association with predisposition to bronchial asthma; V – studies of the role of soluble Tas2R receptors in bronchial asthma; VI – search for opportunities to use Tas2R receptor activation for targeted therapy of bronchial asthma. The review examines the main positions of research areas in the field of Tas2R-signaling in bronchial asthma and provides the main literature in this area. Despite the achievements in the treatment of bronchial asthma, it is known that control over the disease cannot always be achieved completely. It is concluded that, given the versatility of the effects of tas2r receptors in bronchial asthma (bronchodilation, decreased activity of allergic inflammation and bronchial hyperreactivity, effects on remodeling), these receptors are a promising candidate for the development of comprehensive therapy for bronchial asthma.