title: Effects of odorants on pigment aggregation and cAMP in fish melanophores.
abstract: Odor perception within olfactory neuroepithelium and pigment translocation within melanophores both seem to rely on a cAMP-based second messenger system. From studies on cultured frog melanophores, Lerner et al. (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:261-264, 1988) suggested that some aspect of odor perception may be mediated by a nonspecific mechanism whose signal is transduced by a cAMP-based second messenger system. In the present study, odorants (beta-ionone, benzylaldehyde, cineole, cinnamaldehyde, and octanol), which previously have been shown to stimulate formation of cAMP in the olfactory neuroepithelium, were investigated for possible pigment dispersing and cAMP-increasing effects. Pretreatment of fish melanophores with the adenylate cyclase activator forskolin (1 microM) resulted in an approximately 300% increase in cAMP and an almost complete blockage of noradrenaline-induced pigment aggregation. However, none of the tested odorants were able to increase the cAMP level and only cinnaldehyde and beta-ionone were found to have any pigment dispersing activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Linköping University, Sweden.
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Karlsson
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Svensson
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Mårtensson
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Odman
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Elwing
authors.forename: K I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Lundström
mesh_terms: D020003:1-Octanol; D000171:Acrolein / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000262:Adenylyl Cyclases / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001547:Benzaldehydes / Q000494:pharmacology; D005576:Colforsin / Q000494:pharmacology; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000502:physiology*; D003511:Cyclohexanols; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D000077591:Eucalyptol; D005399:Fishes / Q000502:physiology*; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008547:Melanophores / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008610:Menthol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D039821:Monoterpenes; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D045792:Norisoprenoids; D000442:Octanols / Q000494:pharmacology; D009812:Odorants; D011942:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D015290:Second Messenger Systems; D012880:Skin Pigmentation / Q000502:physiology*; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology*; D013729:Terpenes / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D001547:Benzaldehydes; D003511:Cyclohexanols; D039821:Monoterpenes; D045792:Norisoprenoids; D000442:Octanols; D011942:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha; D013729:Terpenes; D008610:Menthol; D005576:Colforsin; D000171:Acrolein; C008157:beta-ionone; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D000262:Adenylyl Cyclases; D020003:1-Octanol; D000077591:Eucalyptol; C012843:cinnamaldehyde; C032175:benzaldehyde; D009638:Norepinephrine