Activation of the sensory current in salamander olfactory receptor neurons depends on a G protein-mediated cAMP second messenger system

Neuron. 1991 May;6(5):825-35. doi: 10.1016/0896-6273(91)90178-3.

Abstract

Olfactory receptor neurons respond to odor stimulation with an inward cationic current. Under whole-cell patch clamp, individual, isolated olfactory receptors were exposed to pharmacological agents known to interact with distinct enzymes in a putative second messenger cascade, and their response to odors was measured. IBMX prolonged the odor-evoked current and also reduced its amplitude. cAMP and cGMP induced a current electrically identical to the odor current, but the current showed desensitization only with cAMP. GTP-gamma-s prolonged and GDP-beta-s interfered with the odor-evoked current. The long latency seen in the odor response appears to be mainly due to the loading of the G protein and secondarily to the requirement for cAMP accumulation. The main source of the response decay appears to be cyclic nucleotide hydrolysis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • 1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Cyclic AMP / pharmacology
  • Cyclic AMP / physiology*
  • Cyclic GMP / analogs & derivatives
  • Cyclic GMP / pharmacology
  • Cyclic GMP / physiology
  • Electrophysiology
  • GTP-Binding Proteins / physiology*
  • Guanosine 5'-O-(3-Thiotriphosphate) / analogs & derivatives
  • Guanosine 5'-O-(3-Thiotriphosphate) / pharmacology
  • Hydrolysis
  • Neurons / physiology
  • Odorants
  • Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases / physiology
  • Protein Kinases / physiology*
  • Second Messenger Systems / drug effects
  • Second Messenger Systems / physiology*
  • Sensory Receptor Cells / physiology*
  • Smell / physiology*
  • Urodela / physiology*

Substances

  • guanosine 5'-O-(1-thiotriphosphate)
  • guanosine 5'-O-(2-thiotriphosphate)
  • 8-bromocyclic GMP
  • Guanosine 5'-O-(3-Thiotriphosphate)
  • Cyclic AMP
  • Protein Kinases
  • Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases
  • GTP-Binding Proteins
  • Cyclic GMP
  • 1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine