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10 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 14 days ago
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TAS2R38
taste 2 receptor member 38
Chromosome 7 · 7q34
NCBI Gene: 5726Ensembl: ENSG00000257138.1HGNC: HGNC:9584UniProt: P59533
147PubMed Papers
20Diseases
0Drugs
0Pathogenic Variants
FUNCTIONAL ROLE
Receptor
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
detection of chemical stimulus involved in sensory perception of bitter tasteplasma membranebitter taste receptor activitymembranesensory perception of bitter tastesmoking initiationpapillary thyroid carcinomagastric cancer
✦AI Summary

TAS2R38 is a bitter taste receptor that functions as a G-protein coupled receptor mediating detection of bitter compounds through gustducin-linked signaling 1. The receptor activates downstream pathways involving PLC-β2 and TRPM5 ion channels, enabling perception of bitter taste molecules including phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) and propylthiouracil (PROP) 2. Beyond taste, TAS2R38 plays a broader role in innate immunity, particularly in respiratory defense through nitric oxide-mediated signaling that inhibits pathogen replication 3. Genetically, TAS2R38 exists in two main haplotypes: PAV (proline-alanine-valine), associated with bitter tasting ability, and AVI (alanine-valine-isoleucine), associated with non-tasting phenotype 2. These polymorphisms influence both sensory perception and health outcomes. PAV carriers show protective effects against thyroid dysfunction and reduced consumption of bitter substances like alcohol and horseradish 4, 5. The receptor's expression is regulated by DNA methylation, with altered methylation patterns correlating with SARS-CoV-2 disease severity 3. Clinically, TAS2R38 activation by bitter compounds ameliorates gastroesophageal reflux disease through MAPK/NF-κB pathway suppression and barrier function restoration 1. However, TAS2R38 genotype shows minimal association with gastrointestinal neoplasm risk 6 or chr7 rhinosinusitis 7. The receptor's functional variation may serve as a biomarker for predicting dietary preferences and susceptibility to conditions including obesity and thyroid disease.

Sources cited
1
TAS2R38 activation ameliorates GERD through signaling pathways and barrier function restoration
PMID: 39566409
2
TAS2R38 PAV and AVI haplotypes determine bitter taste perception phenotypes and are associated with alcohol and smoking behaviors
PMID: 38815112
3
TAS2R38 is an innate immune receptor mediating nitric oxide response and DNA methylation affects its expression in COVID-19
PMID: 40280971
4
TAS2R38 bitter sensitive alleles associate with reduced alcohol/horseradish preference and protection against thyroid dysfunction
PMID: 40498099
5
TAS2R38 SNPs associate with thyroid dysfunction, body composition, and metabolic parameters
PMID: 37432370
6
TAS2R38 genotype shows minimal association with gastrointestinal neoplasm risk
PMID: 30663393
7
No significant association found between TAS2R38 genotype and chronic rhinosinusitis
PMID: 27515546
8
TAS2R38 haplotypes associate with dental caries index and interact with obesity status
PMID: 35510485
Disease Associationsⓘ20
sensory perception of bitter tasteOpen Targets
0.49Moderate
smoking initiationOpen Targets
0.33Weak
papillary thyroid carcinomaOpen Targets
0.09Suggestive
gastric cancerOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
breast cancerOpen Targets
0.06Suggestive
Alzheimer diseaseOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
obesityOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
rheumatoid arthritisOpen Targets
0.05Suggestive
colorectal carcinomaOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
congenital rubellaOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
neoplasmOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
thyroid cancerOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
COVID-19Open Targets
0.04Suggestive
cystic fibrosisOpen Targets
0.04Suggestive
Mobius syndromeOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
Parkinson diseaseOpen Targets
0.03Suggestive
cancerOpen Targets
0.02Suggestive
colorectal cancerOpen Targets
0.02Suggestive
type 2 diabetes mellitusOpen Targets
0.02Suggestive
skin basal cell carcinomaOpen Targets
0.02Suggestive
Pathogenic Variants
No pathogenic variants reported on ClinVar for this gene.
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
TAS2R42Shared pathway100%TAS2R60Shared pathway100%TAS2R36Shared pathway100%TAS2R33Shared pathway100%TAS2R50Shared pathway100%TAS2R20Shared pathway100%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Liver
0%
Brain
0%
Heart
0%
Lung
0%
Bone Marrow
0%
Ovary
0%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
TAS2R38TAS2R42TAS2R60TAS2R36TAS2R33TAS2R50TAS2R20
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
AlphaFoldAI-predicted · UniProt P59533
View on AlphaFold ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
1.18LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.00Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.71 [0.45–1.18]
RankingsWhere TAS2R38 stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #3,097of 20,598
    Most Researched147 · top quartile
  • #12,301of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)1.18
Genes detectedTAS2R38
Sources retrieved10 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
10▼
1
Berberine in combination with evodiamine ameliorates gastroesophageal reflux disease through TAS2R38/TRPV1-mediated regulation of MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathways and macrophage polarization.
PMID: 39566409
Phytomedicine · 2024
1.00
2
Phenome-wide investigation of dietary and health outcomes associated with bitter taste receptor gene TAS2R38.
PMID: 40498099
Eur J Nutr · 2025
0.90
3
TAS2R38 Bitterness Receptor Genetic Variation and Risk of Gastrointestinal Neoplasm: A Meta-Analysis.
PMID: 30663393
Nutr Cancer · 2019
0.80
4
TAS2R38 taste receptor gene and chronic rhinosinusitis: new data from an Italian population.
PMID: 27515546
BMC Med Genet · 2016
0.70
5
Influence of the TAS2R38 Gene Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in Metabolism and Anthropometry in Thyroid Dysfunction.
PMID: 37432370
Nutrients · 2023
0.60