title: Detection of explosives by olfactory sensory neurons.
abstract: The response of olfactory sensory neurons to TNT and RDX as well as to some volatile organic compounds present in the vapors of antipersonnel landmines has been studied both in the pig and in the rat. GC/MS analyses of different plastic components of six different kinds of landmines were performed in order to identify the components of the "perfume" of mines. Studies on rat olfactory mucosa were carried out with electro-olfactogram and calcium imaging techniques, while changes in the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels following exposure to odorants and explosives were used as a criterion to evaluate the interaction of TNT and RDX with olfactory receptors in a preparation of isolated pig olfactory cilia. These studies indicate that chemical compounds associated with explosives and explosive devices can activate mammalian olfactory receptors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biochemistry, Medical Biology and Medical Physics, University of Bari, Bari, Italy. a.corcelli@biologia.uniba.it
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Corcelli
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lobasso
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lopalco
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dibattista
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Araneda
authors.forename: Zita
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Peterlin
authors.forename: Stuart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Firestein
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D053834:Explosive Agents / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000378:metabolism; D009831:Olfactory Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D018034:Olfactory Receptor Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D010969:Plastics; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018035:Receptors, Odorant / Q000032:analysis; D011984:Sensory Receptor Cells; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D053834:Explosive Agents; D010969:Plastics; D018035:Receptors, Odorant; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D002118:Calcium