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| Poster #125 Inflammatory Modulation of Olfactory Sensory Neurons and Immune Cells in the Main Olfactory Epithelium |
| R.E. Owens1,2,4, V. Haran3, C. Chu4, J.P. Meeks3, R.K. Rowe4 1Department of Environmental Medicine, Rochester, NY, United States 2Toxicology Graduate Program, Rochester, NY, United States 3Department of Neuroscience, Rochester, NY, United States 4Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, United States |
The nasal epithelium, a frontline defense against foreign exposures, also contains the main olfactory epithelium (MOE)- the site of olfaction. MOE dysfunction, i.e. hyposmia or anosmia, significantly impacts quality of life. The MOE comprises multiple cell types, including olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) and immune cells. Neuron-immune communication is likely critical, but how OSNs and immune cells interact in healthy and diseased states is a knowledge gap. During inflammation, OSNs must maintain olfactory function, then repair during recovery. We hypothesized that activated OSNs modulate local immune responses following inflammatory stimuli. Using single-cell RNA sequencing and flow cytometry, we identified OSNs, supporting epithelial, and immune cell subsets in dissociated MOE tissue. RNAseq identified differential gene expression in multiple cell types, including immune cells, after environmental olfactory exposures. Confocal microscopy showed resident immune cells in close proximity to OSNs, distributed across apical and basolateral regions of the epithelium. Following intranasal house dust mite extract (HDM) exposure for 7 days, however, did not significantly alter immune cell proportions in the MOE. Our findings indicate resident immune cells co-localize with OSNs and respond transcriptionally to environmental exposures. The lack of immune cell infiltration after acute intranasal allergic exposure suggests mechanisms to prevent excessive inflammation, potentially preserving olfactory function. Future studies will use live ex vivo and confocal microscopy to assess OSN activation and immune cell localization following HDM challenge. |