Effect of allergic rhinitis on olfactory sensory neuron in mice

SONGGongru; ANLina; andPENGBibo

doi:10.13919/j.issn.2095-6274.2017.02.007

Abstract：Objective This study aimed to explore the effects of allergic rhinitis (AR) on olfactory sensory neurons (OSN) in mice. Methods An AR model of BALB/c mice was established by ovalbumin exposure (AR group, n=15), and wild-type BALB/c mice were set as the control group (n=15). The olfaction ability of the mice was detected by buried food pellet test (BFPT). The degree of OSN apoptosis in olfactory mucosa as well as its correlation with eosinophils were evaluated with the western blot analytical technique. Results (1) The mean time of BFPT in AR group was significantly longer than that the control group [(18.71±3.93)s vs (12.53±2.70) s, t=5.01,P<0.05];(2) When compared with the control group, the olfactory marker protein (OMP) of mature OSN in the nasal olfactory mucosa of AR group was significantly decreased (t=15.55, P<0.05), whereas Caspase-3 in apoptosis pathway and eosinophil peroxidase (EPX) protein were significantly increased (t=10.98, P<0.05;t=33.52, P<0.05);(3) There was a positive correlation between Caspase-3 and EPX proteins in the nasal olfactory mucosa of mice in AR group (r=0.78,P<0.05). Conclusions In the setting of AR, eosinophils infiltrated into olfactory mucosa induced sensorineural olfactory loss by exerting a detrimental effect on OSNs.