Title: | The human vomeronasal type-1 receptor family--detection of volatiles and cAMP signaling in HeLa/Olf cells |
Author(s): | Shirokova E; Raguse JD; Meyerhof W; Krautwurst D; |
Address: | "Department of Molecular Genetics, German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke, Arthur-Scheunert-Allee 114-116, 14558 Nuthetal, Germany" |
ISSN/ISBN: | 1530-6860 (Electronic) 0892-6638 (Linking) |
Abstract: | "The human genome harbors 5 remnant genes coding for vomeronasal type-1 receptors, compared with 187 of such receptors in mice. In rodents, vomeronasal type-1 receptors are typically expressed in the vomeronasal organ. They are believed to be highly selective and sensitive pheromone detectors, as may be inferred from one receptor, V1rb2, responding to picomolar concentrations of the mouse pheromone 2-heptanone. Expression patterns, ligands, and signal transduction of human vomeronasal type-1 receptors have, however, remained largely obscure. Our aim was to deorphan and functionally characterize these 5 putative human pheromone receptors. Here, we report functional expression for all 5 receptors in HeLa/Olf cells. The recombinant, N-terminally tagged receptors expressed at the plasma membrane of HeLa/Olf cells and responded differentially to 19 of 140 odorants in a combinatorial way. C9-C10 aliphatic alcohols or aldehydes emerged as the best agonists at submicromolar concentrations above human odorant thresholds. Surprisingly, and in contrast to mouse V1rb2, all human vomeronasal type-1 receptors activated cAMP signaling via G protein alphaolf, when expressed in HeLa/Olf cells. While a biological function of human vomeronasal type-1 receptors is still elusive, our data show that their major functional characteristics are similar to those of odorant receptors" |
Keywords: | "Animals Chemotactic Factors/*physiology Cyclic AMP/*physiology HeLa Cells Humans Mice Receptors, Odorant/*physiology Receptors, Pheromone/physiology Signal Transduction Volatilization Vomeronasal Organ/*physiology;" |
Notes: | "MedlineShirokova, Elena Raguse, Jan Dirk Meyerhof, Wolfgang Krautwurst, Dietmar eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't 2007/12/22 FASEB J. 2008 May; 22(5):1416-25. doi: 10.1096/fj.07-9233com. Epub 2007 Dec 20" |