Sue Kinnamon, PhD

Recognitions

• Outstanding Achievement Award, Association for Chemoreception Sciences (2001)

Research Interests

Sue C. Kinnamon, PhD, joined the Department of Otolaryngology as a tenured Professor in 2009 following a previous faculty tenure at Colorado State University in the Department of Biomedical Sciences. She currently serves as Vice Chair of Research in the Department of Otolaryngology and has joint appointments in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics and Cell and Developmental Biology. She has been continuously funded by the NIH since 1987 and currently has an R01 from NIDCD to study mechanisms of “Neurotransmission in Taste Buds” and also is Co-PI (with Dr. Jenkins) of an NIDCD-funded T32 training program on “Institutional Training in Otolaryngology Research”. She has served on NIH and NSF study sections and is currently a member of the NIDCD Advisory Council. For her full research activities, visit https://medschool.cuanschutz.edu/otolaryngology/research/research-faculty/sue-kinnamon-research

Publications

• Tizzano, M., Gulbransen, B.D., Vandenbeuch, A., Clapp, T.R., Herman, J.P., Sibhatu, H.M., Churchill, M.E.A., Silver, W.L., Kinnamon, S.C., and Finger, T.E. (2010). Nasal chemosensory cells utilize bitter taste signalling to detect irritants and pathogenic Bacteria. PNAS 107:3210-5.
• Vandenbeuch, A., Tizzano, M., Anderson, C.B., Stone, L.M., Goldberg, D. and Kinnamon, S.C. (2010). Evidence for a role of glutamate as an efferent transmitter in taste buds. BMC Neurosci. 2010 Jun 21;11:77
• Vandenbeuch, A., Zorec, R., and Kinnamon, S.C. (2010). Capacitance measurements of regulated exocytosis in mouse taste cells. J. Neuroscience, 30(44):14695-701.
• Kinnamon, S.C. & Vandenbeuch, A. (2010). Functional organization of taste buds. 44th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Assoc. for Study of Taste and Smell., p. 38. (invited keynote lecture)
• Kinnamon, SC., Huang, Y., Stone, L., Pereira, E., Finger, T., & Roper, S. (2010). Taste buds of P2X2/P2X3 double knockout mice fail to release ATP. Purines 2010. Tarragona, Spain.
• Kinnamon, S.C (2010). GPCR signaling in taste cells. GPCR Helsinki 2010, p. 30.
• Vandenbeuch, A., Zorec, R., & Kinnamon, S.C. (2010). Depolarization-induced membrane capacitance increases in type III mouse taste cells. SFN Abstract, p. 41.
• Kinnamon, S.C. (2011). Taste receptor signaling- from tongues to lungs. Acta Physiologica, in press.
• Huang YA, Stone LM, Pereira E, Yang R, Kinnamon JC, Dvoryanchikov G, Chaudhari N, Finger TE, Kinnamon SC, Roper SD. (2011). Knocking out P2X receptors reduces transmitter secretion in taste buds. J Neurosci. 31:13654-61.
• Kataoka S, Baquero A, Yang D, Shultz N, Vandenbeuch A, Ravid K, Kinnamon SC, Finger TE. (2012). A2BR adenosine receptor modulates sweet taste in circumvallate taste buds. PLoS One 7(1):e30032. Epub 2012 Jan 10.
• Finger, T.E. and Kinnamon, S.C. (2011). Matters of Taste. The Scientist, Nov/Dec. issue, cover.
• Kinnamon, S.C. (2012). Taste receptor signaling-- from tongues to lungs. Acta Physiol (Oxf). 204:158-68. Epub 2011 May 7.
• Finger, T.E and Kinnamon, S.C. (2011). Taste isn't just for taste buds anymore. F1000 Biol Rep. 3:20. Epub Sep 1.
• Vandenbeuch, A., Anderson, C. Steritz, M. Parnes,J., Robson, S.C., Finger, T.E., and Kinnamon, S.C. (2012). Genetic deletion of ectoATPase reduces specific taste responses. Achems abst., in press.
• Barham, H., Tizzano, M., Anderson, C., Ramakrishnan, V., Kingdom, T., Finger, T.E., and Kinnamon, S.C., (2012). Solitary chemosensory cells in biopsies of human nasal mucosa. Achems abst, in press.
• Barham HP, Cooper SE, Anderson CB, Tizzano M, Kingdom TT, Finger TE, Kinnamon SC, Ramakrishnan VR. (2013). Solitary chemosensory cells and bitter taste receptor signaling in human sinonasal mucosa. Int. Forum Allergy Rhinology. doi: 10.1002/alr.21149. [Epub ahead of print]
• Kinnamon, S.C. (2013). Neurosensory transmission without a synapse: new perspectives on taste signaling. BMC Biology, in press.
• Vandenbeuch, A., Anderson, C. Steritz, M. Parnes,J., Robson, S.C., Finger, T.E., and Kinnamon, S.C. (2012). Genetic deletion of ectoATPase reduces specific taste responses. Achems abst., p. 23
• Barham, H., Tizzano, M., Anderson, C., Ramakrishnan, V., Kingdom, T., Finger, T.E., and Kinnamon, S.C., (2012). Solitary chemosensory cells in biopsies of human nasal mucosa. Achems abst,
• Finger, T.E., Kinnamon, S., Ramakrishnan, V., and Tizzano, M. (2013). Detection of irritants and bacterial metabolites via taste transduction cascade in solitary chemosensory cells of the nasal cavity. Achems abst., in press.
• Cooper, S., Tizzano, M., Ramakrishnan, V. Barham, H., Mattingly, J., Finger, T.E., Kinnamon, S.C., (2013). Solitary chemosensory cells in human nasal epithelium. Achems abstract, in press.
• Vandenbeuch, A., Anderson, C., Ford, A.P., Smith, S., Finger, T.E. and Kinnamon, S.C. (2013). A selective P2X3, P2X2/3 receptor antagonist abolishes responses to all taste stimuli in mice. Achems abstract, in press
• Sue C. Kinnamon, Aurelie Vandenbeuch, and Thomas E. Finger. (2013).A selective P2X3 receptor antagonist abolishes chorda tympani responses to all taste stimuli. 10th International Symposium on Molecular and Neural Mechanisms of Taste and Olfactory Perception, Fukuoka, Japan,
• Kinnamon SC, Finger TE. A taste for ATP: neurotransmission in taste buds. Front Cell Neurosci. 2013;7:264. PubMed PMID: 24385952
• Vandenbeuch A, Anderson CB, Parnes J, Enjyoji K, Robson SC, Finger TE, Kinnamon SC. Role of the ectonucleotidase NTPDase2 in taste bud function. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2013 Sep 3;110(36):14789-94. PubMed PMID: 23959882
• Vandenbeuch A, Larson E, Anderson CB, Smith SA, Ford AP, Finger TE, Kinnamon SC. Postsynaptic P2×3-containing receptors in gustatory nerve fibres mediate responses to all taste qualities in mice. J Physiol. 2014 Dec 18. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 25524179
• Kinnamon SC. Neurosensory transmission without a synapse: new perspectives on taste signaling. BMC Biol. 2013 Apr 15;11:42. PubMed PMID: 23587289
• Barham HP, Cooper SE, Anderson CB, Tizzano M, Kingdom TT, Finger TE, Kinnamon SC, Ramakrishnan VR. Solitary chemosensory cells and bitter taste receptor signaling in human sinonasal mucosa. Int Forum Allergy Rhinol. 2013 Jun;3(6):450-7. PubMed PMID: 23404938
• Vandenbeuch A, Anderson CB, Kinnamon SC. Mice Lacking Pannexin 1 Release ATP and Respond Normally to All Taste Qualities. Chem Senses. 2015 Sep;40(7):461-7. PubMed PMID: 26136251
• Vandenbeuch A, Larson ED, Anderson CB, Smith SA, Ford AP, Finger TE, Kinnamon SC. Postsynaptic P2X3-containing receptors in gustatory nerve fibres mediate responses to all taste qualities in mice. J Physiol. 2015 Mar 1;593(5):1113-25. PubMed PMID: 25524179
• von Holstein-Rathlou S., BonDurant L, Peltekian L, Naber MC, Yin TC, Claflin KE, Urizar AI,. Madsen AN, Ratner C, Holst B, Karstoft K, Vandenbeuch A, Anderson CB, Cassell MD, Thompson AP1, J. Solomon TPJ, Rahmouni K,. Kinnamon SC, Pieper AA, Gillum MP, and Potthoff MJ (2016). Endocrine control of simple sugar intake and sweet taste preference by the liver. Cell Metab, in press.
• Kinnamon, S.C. (2015). G protein-coupled taste transduction. In: Chemosensory Transduction: The Detection of Odors, Tastes, and Other Chemostimuli , Chapter 15, pp. 269-283. Elsevier, In press.
• Vandenbeuch A and Kinnamon SC (2016). Glutamate: tastant and neuromodulator in taste buds. Adv. Nutrition, in press.
• Larson ED, Vandenbeuch A, Voigt A, Meyerhof W, Kinnamon SC, Finger TE. The Role of 5-HT3 Receptors in Signaling from Taste Buds to Nerves. J Neurosci. 2015 Dec 2;35(48):15984-95. PubMed PMID: 26631478
• Ye W, Chang RB, Bushman JD, Tu YH, Mulhall EM, Wilson CE, Cooper AJ, Chick WS, Hill-Eubanks DC, Nelson MT, Kinnamon SC, Liman ER. The K channel KIR2.1 functions in tandem with proton influx to mediate sour taste transduction. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2015 Dec 1. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 26627720
• Vandenbeuch A, Kinnamon SC. Glutamate: Tastant and Neuromodulator in Taste Buds. Adv Nutr. 2016 Jul;7(4):823S-7S. PubMed PMID: 27422519
• von Holstein-Rathlou S, BonDurant LD, Peltekian L, Naber MC, Yin TC, Claflin KE, Urizar AI, Madsen AN, Ratner C, Holst B, Karstoft K, Vandenbeuch A, Anderson CB, Cassell MD, Thompson AP, Solomon TP, Rahmouni K, Kinnamon SC, Pieper AA, Gillum MP, Potthoff MJ. FGF21 Mediates Endocrine Control of Simple Sugar Intake and Sweet Taste Preference by the Liver. Cell Metab. 2016 Feb 9;23(2):335-43. PubMed PMID: 26724858
• Ye W, Chang RB, Bushman JD, Tu YH, Mulhall EM, Wilson CE, Cooper AJ, Chick WS, Hill-Eubanks DC, Nelson MT, Kinnamon SC, Liman ER. The K channel KIR2.1 functions in tandem with proton influx to mediate sour taste transduction. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2016 Jan 12;113(2):E229-38. PubMed PMID: 26627720
• Wilson CE, Finger TE, Kinnamon SC. Type III Cells in Anterior Taste Fields Are More Immunohistochemically Diverse Than Those of Posterior Taste Fields in Mice. Chem Senses. 2017 Oct 31;42(9):759-767. PubMed PMID: 28968659
• Ramakrishnan VR, Gonzalez JR, Cooper SE, Barham HP, Anderson CB, Larson ED, Cool CD, Diller JD, Jones K, Kinnamon SC. RNA sequencing and pathway analysis identify tumor necrosis factor alpha driven small proline-rich protein dysregulation in chronic rhinosinusitis. Am J Rhinol Allergy. 2017 Sep 1;31(5):283-288. PubMed PMID: 28859701
• Gaillard D, Kinnamon SC. New evidence for fat as a primary taste quality. Acta Physiol (Oxf). 2018 Dec 27;:e13246. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 30588748
• Wilson CE, Finger TE, Kinnamon SC. Type III Cells in Anterior Taste Fields Are More Immunohistochemically Diverse Than Those of Posterior Taste Fields in Mice. Chem Senses. 2017 Oct 31;42(9):759-767. PubMed PMID: 28968659
• Ramakrishnan VR, Gonzalez JR, Cooper SE, Barham HP, Anderson CB, Larson ED, Cool CD, Diller JD, Jones K, Kinnamon SC. RNA sequencing and pathway analysis identify tumor necrosis factor alpha driven small proline-rich protein dysregulation in chronic rhinosinusitis. Am J Rhinol Allergy. 2017 Sep 1;31(5):283-288. PubMed PMID: 28859701
• Chen J, Larson ED, Anderson CB, Agarwal P, Frank DN, Kinnamon SC, Ramakrishnan VR. Expression of Bitter Taste Receptors and Solitary Chemosensory Cell Markers in the Human Sinonasal Cavity. Chem Senses. 2019 Sep 7;44(7):483-495. PubMed PMID: 31231752
• Teng B, Wilson CE, Tu YH, Joshi NR, Kinnamon SC, Liman ER. Cellular and Neural Responses to Sour Stimuli Require the Proton Channel Otop1. Curr Biol. 2019 Nov 4;29(21):3647-3656.e5. PubMed PMID: 31543453
• Wilson CE, Vandenbeuch A, Kinnamon SC. Physiological and Behavioral Responses to Optogenetic Stimulation of PKD2L1( ) Type III Taste Cells. eNeuro. 2019 Mar Apr;6(2). PubMed PMID: 31092545
• Gaillard D, Kinnamon SC. New evidence for fat as a primary taste quality. Acta Physiol (Oxf). 2019 May;226(1):e13246. PubMed PMID: 30588748
• Larson ED, Vandenbeuch A, Anderson CB, Kinnamon SC. Function, Innervation, and Neurotransmitter Signaling in Mice Lacking Type-II Taste Cells. eNeuro. 2020 Jan Feb;7(1). PubMed PMID: 31988217
• Kinnamon SC, Finger TE. Recent advances in taste transduction and signaling. F1000Res. 2019;8. PubMed PMID: 32185015
• Vandenbeuch A, Kinnamon SC. Why low concentrations of salt enhance sweet taste. Acta Physiol (Oxf). 2020 Sep 19;:e13560. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 32949119
• Vandenbeuch A, Wilson CE, Kinnamon SC. Optogenetic Activation of Type III Taste Cells Modulates Taste Responses. Chem Senses. 2020 Oct 9;45(7):533-539. PubMed PMID: 32582939
• Andres-Hernando A, Kuwabara M, Orlicky DJ, Vandenbeuch A, Cicerchi C, Kinnamon SC, Finger TE, Johnson RJ, Lanaspa MA. Sugar causes obesity and metabolic syndrome in mice independently of sweet taste. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2020 Aug 1;319(2):E276-E290. PubMed PMID: 32574112
• Kinnamon SC, Finger TE. Recent advances in taste transduction and signaling. F1000Res. 2019;8. PubMed PMID: 32185015
• Vandenbeuch A, Kinnamon SC. Is the Amiloride-Sensitive Na Channel in Taste Cells Really ENaC?. Chem Senses. 2020 May 21;45(4):233-234. PubMed PMID: 32099995
• Larson ED, Vandenbeuch A, Anderson CB, Kinnamon SC. Function, Innervation, and Neurotransmitter Signaling in Mice Lacking Type-II Taste Cells. eNeuro. 2020 Jan Feb;7(1). PubMed PMID: 31988217
• Teng B, Wilson CE, Tu YH, Joshi NR, Kinnamon SC, Liman ER. Cellular and Neural Responses to Sour Stimuli Require the Proton Channel Otop1. Curr Biol. 2019 Nov 4;29(21):3647-3656.e5. PubMed PMID: 31543453
• Chen J, Larson ED, Anderson CB, Agarwal P, Frank DN, Kinnamon SC, Ramakrishnan VR. Expression of Bitter Taste Receptors and Solitary Chemosensory Cell Markers in the Human Sinonasal Cavity. Chem Senses. 2019 Sep 7;44(7):483-495. PubMed PMID: 31231752
• Wilson CE, Vandenbeuch A, Kinnamon SC. Physiological and Behavioral Responses to Optogenetic Stimulation of PKD2L1( ) Type III Taste Cells. eNeuro. 2019 Mar Apr;6(2). PubMed PMID: 31092545
• Gaillard D, Kinnamon SC. New evidence for fat as a primary taste quality. Acta Physiol (Oxf). 2019 May;226(1):e13246. PubMed PMID: 30588748
• Finger T, Kinnamon S. Purinergic neurotransmission in the gustatory system. Auton Neurosci. 2021 Dec;236:102874. PubMed PMID: 34536906
• Kinnamon S, Finger T. The Role of ATP and Purinergic Receptors in Taste Signaling. Handb Exp Pharmacol. 2021 Aug 26. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 34435233
• Larson ED, Vandenbeuch A, Anderson CB, Kinnamon SC. GAD65Cre Drives Reporter Expression in Multiple Taste Cell Types. Chem Senses. 2021 Jan 1;46. PubMed PMID: 34160573
• Liman ER, Kinnamon SC. Sour taste: receptors, cells and circuits. Curr Opin Physiol. 2021 Apr;20:8-15. PubMed PMID: 33709046
• Vandenbeuch A, Kinnamon SC. Why low concentrations of salt enhance sweet taste. Acta Physiol (Oxf). 2020 Dec;230(4):e13560. PubMed PMID: 32949119
• Vandenbeuch A, Wilson CE, Kinnamon SC. Optogenetic Activation of Type III Taste Cells Modulates Taste Responses. Chem Senses. 2020 Oct 9;45(7):533-539. PubMed PMID: 32582939
• Andres-Hernando A, Kuwabara M, Orlicky DJ, Vandenbeuch A, Cicerchi C, Kinnamon SC, Finger TE, Johnson RJ, Lanaspa MA. Sugar causes obesity and metabolic syndrome in mice independently of sweet taste. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2020 Aug 1;319(2):E276-E290. PubMed PMID: 32574112
• Vandenbeuch A, Kinnamon SC. Is the Amiloride-Sensitive Na Channel in Taste Cells Really ENaC?. Chem Senses. 2020 May 21;45(4):233-234. PubMed PMID: 32099995
• Larson ED, Vandenbeuch A, Anderson CB, Kinnamon SC. Function, Innervation, and Neurotransmitter Signaling in Mice Lacking Type-II Taste Cells. eNeuro. 2020 Jan Feb;7(1). PubMed PMID: 31988217
• Kinnamon SC. Inflammatory-mediated taste dysfunction - Is NO the key?. Brain Behav Immun. 2022 Oct;105:190-191. PubMed PMID: 35868599
• Kinnamon S, Finger T. The Role of ATP and Purinergic Receptors in Taste Signaling. Handb Exp Pharmacol. 2022;275:91-107. PubMed PMID: 34435233
• Liang Z, Wilson CE, Teng B, Kinnamon SC, Liman ER. The proton channel OTOP1 is a sensor for the taste of ammonium chloride. Nat Commun. 2023 Oct 5;14(1):6194. PubMed PMID: 37798269

Professional Memberships

• Society for Neuroscience, Member
• Association for Chemoreception Sciences, Member
• Physiological Society, Member

Specialty Information

Specialties

• Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery