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Adrenaline enhances odorant contrast by modulating signal encoding in olfactory receptor cells

Nature Neuroscience volume 2, pages 133–138 (1999)Cite this article

Abstract

Olfactory perception is influenced by hormones. Here we report that adrenaline can directly affect the signal encoding of olfactory receptor cells. Application of adrenaline suppressed action potentials near threshold and increased their frequency in response to strong stimuli, resulting in a narrower dynamic range. Under voltage–clamp conditions, adrenaline enhanced sodium current and reduced T–type calcium current. Because sodium current is the major component of spike generation and T–type calcium current lowers the threshold in olfactory receptor cells, the effects of adrenaline on these currents are consistent with the results obtained under current–clamp conditions. Both effects involved a common cytoplasmic pathway, cAMP–dependent phosphorylation. We suggest that adrenaline may enhance contrast in olfactory perception by this mechanism.

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Figure 1: Adrenaline narrows the dynamic range of spike frequency in isolated ORCs.
Figure 2: Adrenaline augments INa in isolated ORCs.
Figure 3: Adrenaline inhibits ICa,T in isolated ORCs.
Figure 4: 8–bromo–cAMP augments INa and inhibits ICa,T.
Figure 5: Cyclic AMP augments INa and inhibits ICa,T via PKA.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Peter Sterling, Robert Smith, Noga Vardi, Michael Freed, Loren Haarsma and Jonathan Demb for comments and support, Yoshikuni Ito for technical support and Akiko Kawai for secretarial assistance. This work was in part supported by grants from HFSPO and the Japanese MESSC (to TK).

Author information

Author notes

  1. Takashi Kurahashi

    Present address: Department of Biology, Osaka University , Toyonaka, 560–0043, Japan

  2. Takashi Kurahashi

    Present address: Precursory Research for Embryonic Science and Technology (PRESTO), Senri Life Science Center 10F, Sinsenri, Toyonaka, 565–0082, Japan

  3. Akimichi Kaneko

    Present address: Department of Physiology, Keio University School of Medicine, Shinjuku, Tokyo, 160–8582, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Information Physiology, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Myodaiji, 444–8585, Okazaki, Japan

    Fusao Kawai, Takashi Kurahashi & Akimichi Kaneko

  2. Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, 19104–6058 , Pennsylvania, USA

    Fusao Kawai

Authors
  1. Fusao Kawai
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  2. Takashi Kurahashi
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  3. Akimichi Kaneko
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Correspondence to Takashi Kurahashi.

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Kawai, F., Kurahashi, T. & Kaneko, A. Adrenaline enhances odorant contrast by modulating signal encoding in olfactory receptor cells. Nat Neurosci 2, 133–138 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/5686

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