title: Olfactory neuron-specific expression of NeuroD in mouse and human nasal mucosa.
abstract: Human olfactory neuroepithelium (OE) is situated within the olfactory cleft of the nasal cavity and has the characteristic property of continually regenerating neurons during the lifetime of the individual. This regenerative ability of OE provides a unique model for neuronal differentiation, but little is known about the structure and biology of human olfactory mucosa. Thus, to better understand neurogenesis in human OE, we studied the expression of olfactory marker protein (OMP), TrkB and NeuroD in human nasal biopsies and autopsy specimens and compared these data with those obtained from normal and regenerating mouse OE. We show that NeuroD and TrkB are coordinately expressed in human OE. Thus, by using these markers we have been able to extend the known boundaries of the human OE to include the inferior middle turbinate. In normal mouse OE, TrkB and OMP expression overlap in cells closest to the superficial layer, but TrkB is expressed more strongly in the lower region of this layer. In contrast, NeuroD expression is more basally restricted in a region just above the globose basal cells. These characteristic expression patterns of OMP, TrkB and NeuroD were also observed in the regenerating mouse OE induced by axotomy. These results support a role of NeuroD and brain-derived neurotrophic actor (BDNF), the preferred ligand for TrkB, in the maintenance of the olfactory neuroepithelium in humans and mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Kimmel Cancer Institute, Thomas Jefferson University, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, PA 19087, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nibu
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: N E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Rawson
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Restrepo
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kaga
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Lowry
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Keane
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Rothstein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D019771:Axotomy; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D009297:Nasal Mucosa / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000378:metabolism; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000502:physiology; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009830:Olfactory Bulb / Q000166:cytology / Q000601:surgery; D051842:Olfactory Marker Protein; D009831:Olfactory Mucosa / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology; D018034:Olfactory Receptor Neurons / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000166:cytology; D020813:Receptor, trkB / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014420:Turbinates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D051842:Olfactory Marker Protein; D020813:Receptor, trkB; C497597:OMP protein, human; C497598:Omp protein, mouse; C093564:Neurogenic differentiation factor 1