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Leptin-sensitive OBP-expressing mucous cells in rat olfactory epithelium: a novel target for olfaction-nutrition crosstalk?

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Abstract

Although odorant-binding proteins (OBP) are one of the most abundant classes of proteins in the mammalian olfactory mucus, they have only recently been ascribed a functional role in the detection of odorants by olfactory neurons. Among the three OBPs described in the rat, OBP-1f is mainly secreted by the lateral nasal glands (LNG) and Bowman’s glands, and its expression is transcriptionally regulated by food deprivation in the olfactory mucosa, but not in LNG. Therefore, mucus composition might be locally regulated by hormones or molecules relevant to nutritional status. Our aim has been to investigate the mechanisms of such physiological regulation at the cellular level, through both the examination of OBP-1f synthesis sites in the olfactory mucosa and their putative regulation by leptin, a locally acting satiety hormone. Immunohistochemical observations have allowed the identification of a novel population of OBP-1f-secreting cells displaying morphological and functional characteristics similar to those of epithelial mucous cells. Ultrastructural analyses by both transmission and scanning electron microscopy has enabled a more complete cytoarchitectural characterization of these specialized olfactory mucous cells in their tissue environment. These globular cells are localized in discrete zones of the olfactory epithelium, mainly in the fourth turbinate, and are often scattered from the basal to the apical surface of the epithelium. They contain numerous small droplets of mucosubstances. Using an in-vitro-derived model of olfactory mucosa primary culture, we have been able to demonstrate that leptin increases the production of mucus by these cells, so that they constitute potential targets for the physiological modulation of mucus composition by nutritional cues.

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Abbreviations

BG:

Bowman’s glands

LNG:

lateral nasal gland

OBP:

odorant-binding protein

OE:

olfactory epithelium

OM:

olfactory mucosa

oMC:

olfactory mucous cell

OSN:

olfactory sensory neuron

PFA:

paraformaldehyde

PAS:

periodic-acid-Schiff

PB:

phosphate buffer

PBS:

phosphate-buffered saline

SEM:

scanning electron microscopy

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to J. Bara (INSERM U482, Paris, France) for his generous gift of anti-MUC5AC (clone 660) antibody. We also thank C. Péchoux and T. Meylheuc of the MIMA2 platform (INRA, Jouy-en-Josas) for electron microscopy observations, UEAR (Jouy-en-Josas) for animal care, and Victoria Hawken (a native English speaker) for revising the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. INRA, UMR1197 Neurobiologie de l’Olfaction et de la Prise Alimentaire, Domaine de Vilvert, 78350, Jouy en Josas, France

    Karine Badonnel, Didier Durieux, Régine Monnerie, Denise Grébert, Roland Salesse, Monique Caillol & Christine Baly

  2. Université Paris-Sud 11, UMR 1197, 91400, Orsay, France

    Karine Badonnel, Didier Durieux, Régine Monnerie, Denise Grébert, Roland Salesse, Monique Caillol & Christine Baly

  3. IFR 144 Neuro-Sud, Paris, France

    Karine Badonnel, Didier Durieux, Régine Monnerie, Denise Grébert, Roland Salesse, Monique Caillol & Christine Baly

  4. INRA/NOPA/RCC, Domaine de Vilvert, 78352, Jouy-en-Josas, France

    Christine Baly

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  1. Karine Badonnel
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  2. Didier Durieux
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  6. Monique Caillol
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  7. Christine Baly
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christine Baly.

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This work was supported by a grant from the ANR (ANR-05-PNRA-1.E7 AROMALIM) and a sesame grant (A01947) from the “Ile-de-France” region.

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Badonnel, K., Durieux, D., Monnerie, R. et al. Leptin-sensitive OBP-expressing mucous cells in rat olfactory epithelium: a novel target for olfaction-nutrition crosstalk?. Cell Tissue Res 338, 53–66 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-009-0846-2

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