# A Potential Role for NaV1.1 in Taste Signal Transmission

> **NIH NIH F30** · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER · 2022 · $34,519

## Abstract

Project Summary
The voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.1 has emerged as a possible candidate in gustatory signal transmission
following the clinical observation that pediatric patients with Dravet syndrome (DS), an epileptic
channelopathy resulting from NaV1.1 haploinsufficiency, demonstrate an indifference or aversion to sweet
foods – a highly unusual finding in children. RNA-seq transcriptomic data shows that NaV1.1 is expressed in
subsets of ganglion cells thought to transmit particular taste qualities, including sweet. My preliminary
behavioral and electrophysiological studies also suggest that NaV1.1 may mediate sweet taste signal
transmission, both in an acute, i.e. pharmacological block, mouse model as well as in a genetic model of NaV1.1
haploinsufficiency. In this proposal, three different mouse models – one acute and two genetic – will be
assessed on peripheral gustatory deficits (Aim 1) and behavioral effects (Aim 2) due to Nav1.1 dysfunction. This
study is innovative because our preliminary data suggest that 1) a single type of sodium channel may
differentially impact transmission of particular taste qualities, and 2) gustatory function may serve as a
surrogate measure for NaV1.1 function. The latter would be particularly useful for assessing phenotype severity
in Dravet patients, which as of yet does not have a robust biomarker to use in assessment.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10472018
- **Project number:** 5F30DC019043-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER
- **Principal Investigator:** Brigit-Alexandra High
- **Activity code:** F30 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $34,519
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-09-15 → 2024-09-14

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10472018

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10472018, A Potential Role for NaV1.1 in Taste Signal Transmission (5F30DC019043-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10472018. Licensed CC0.

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