Biology subjects

Hasnah, R.

Publications and source records attributed to Hasnah, R..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

A sensory map of the gastrointestinal tract

The gut, like the skin, exhibits a spatially organized sensory system with distinct regions specialized for detecting and responding to diverse signals including immune, microbial, and nutrient stimuli. This study employed spatial transcriptomics to characterize the molecular landscape of gut sensory cells along the gastrointestinal tract, revealing regional differences in gene expression profiles associated with various sensory modalities. We found that genes related to hormone and neurotransmission expression varied along the gut length at different resolutions, suggesting a division of labor where hormones mediate broader effects and neurotransmission enables rabid, localized signaling. Immune-related genes also exhibit spatial patterns, with increased expression towards the colon, consistent with the higher microbial density in this region. Furthermore, nutrient sensing is spatially regulated, with differential expression of receptors for fats, sugars, proteins, vitamins, and minerals along the gut. This spatial map of gut sensory cell gene expression provides a foundation for deciphering the complex code underlying gut-brain communication.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2023

Short-term consumption of ultra-processed semi-synthetic diets impairs the sense of smell and brain metabolism in mice

The prevalence of highly-palatable, ultra-processed food in our modern diet has exacerbated obesity rates and contributed to a global health crisis. While accumulating evidence suggests that chronic consumption of ultra-processed semi-synthetic food is detrimental to sensory and neural physiology, it is unclear whether its short-term intake has adverse effects. Here, we assessed how short-term consumption (<2 months) of three ultra-processed diets (one grain-based diet, and two semi-synthetic) influence olfaction and brain metabolism in mice. Our results demonstrate that short-term consumption of semi-synthetic diets, regardless of macronutrient composition, adversely affect odor-guided behaviors, physiological responses to odorants, transcriptional profiles in the olfactory mucosa and brain regions, and brain glucose metabolism and mitochondrial respiration. These findings reveal that even short periods of ultra-processed semi-synthetic food consumption are sufficient to cause early olfactory and brain abnormalities, which has the potential to alter food choices and influence the risk of developing metabolic disease.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2020

Deconstructing the mouse olfactory percept through an olfactory ethological atlas

Odor perception in non-humans is poorly understood. Here, we generated the most comprehensive murine olfactory ethological atlas to date, consisting of behavioral responses to a diverse panel of 73 odorants, including 12 at multiple concentrations. These data revealed that the mouse behavior is incredibly diverse, and changes in response to odor identity and intensity. Using only behavioral responses, ~30% of the 73 odorants could be identified with high accuracy (>96%) by a trained classifier. Mouse behavior occupied a low-dimensional space, consistent with analyses of human olfactory perception. While mouse olfactory behavior is difficult to predict from the corresponding human olfactory percept, three fundamental properties are shared: odor valence is the primary axis of olfactory perception; the physicochemical properties of odorants can predict the olfactory percept; and odorant concentration quantitatively and qualitatively impacts olfactory perception. These results provide a template for future comparative studies of olfactory percepts among species.

neuroscience↗