Infertility and Taste Receptors Share a Common Link

Could your risk for infertility actually be connected to what you taste and smell? A new study certainly seems to think there could actually be a connection. 

In fact, researchers believe these findings could help lead to novel contraceptives for men, with suggestions to help treat male infertility.

Scientists looked at proteins known to carry taste receptors. These receptors help tongues detect sugars, acids salt and other chemicals responsible for basic tastes such as sweet, sour, salty, bittery and the savory umami taste.

During the study, scientists discovered that one taste receptor in particular, called TAS1R3, a molecule that helps taste receptors send signals to the brain, called GNAT3, were both found in the testicles and sperm of mice.

The study notes that investigators genetically engineered mice to carry the human form of the TAS1R3 receptor. When these mice were given the drug clofibrate, which inhibits the human receptor, the males  became sterile because of a malformation and produced less amounts of sperm thereafter. However, after the drug was removed from their diet, they quickly began to produce similar amounts of sperm again.

The study shows that "taste proteins are very important in male reproduction. We really didn't expect that," researcher Bedrich Mosinger, a molecular biologist at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia said, via Live Science. "We didn't find similar effects with female reproduction," Mosinger said. "This looks specific to males."

Clofibrate is part of the fibrates chemicals class, which are frequently used to treat lipid disorders, including high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

Mosinger speculated the common use of fibrates in medicine could be contributing to the decline of male fertility, a growing problem worldwide. He added that weedkillers known as phenoxy-herbicides, which are widely used globally, also block the human TAS1R3 receptor,

"If our pharmacological findings are indeed related to the global increase in the incidence of male infertility, we now have knowledge to help us devise treatments to reduce or reverse the effects of fibrates and phenoxy compounds on sperm production and quality," Mosinger said, via the study.

What do you think? 

More information regarding the study can be found today (July 1) in the journal Proceedings of the National Academies of Sciences.