title: Selective and reversible reduction of odor sensitivity in the rat by concanavalin A.
abstract: Rats were trained using an olfactometer to detect low concentrations of ethyl acetate (EA) or dimethyl disulphide vapor (DMDS). Concanavalin A (ConA) applied to the olfactory mucosa had no effect on ability of rats to detect low concentrations of EA but produced a marked deficit in detection in DMDS. DMDS detection performance returned to control levels 3 days after the ConA treatment. These results provide the first behavioral evidence for odor-specific inhibition by chemical modification of the olfactory epithelium and support the notion that ConA selectively inactivates one or more types (subclasses) of olfactory receptor proteins.
authors.affiliation: University of Tubingen, Department of Zoology, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Apfelbach
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Weiler
authors.forename: W F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Asselbergs
authors.forename: E H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Polak
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Slotnick
mesh_terms: D000085:Acetates / Q000494:pharmacology; D000281:Administration, Intranasal; D000818:Animals; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003216:Conditioning, Operant / Q000187:drug effects; D003864:Depression, Chemical; D004220:Disulfides / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D008297:Male; D009812:Odorants; D009831:Olfactory Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000187:drug effects; D012903:Smell / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000085:Acetates; D004220:Disulfides; D003208:Concanavalin A; C021181:dimethyl disulfide; C007650:ethyl acetate