title: After oxidation, zinc nanoparticles lose their ability to enhance responses to odorants.
abstract: Electrical responses of olfactory sensory neurons to odorants were examined in the presence of zinc nanoparticles of various sizes and degrees of oxidation. The zinc nanoparticles were prepared by the underwater electrical discharge method and analyzed by atomic force microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Small (1.2 ± 0.3 nm) zinc nanoparticles significantly enhanced electrical responses of olfactory neurons to odorants. After oxidation, however, these small zinc nanoparticles were no longer capable of enhancing olfactory responses. Larger zinc oxide nanoparticles (15 nm and 70 nm) also did not modulate responses to odorants. Neither zinc nor zinc oxide nanoparticles produced olfactory responses when added without odorants. The enhancement of odorant responses by small zinc nanoparticles was explained by the creation of olfactory receptor dimers initiated by small zinc nanoparticles. The results of this work will clarify the mechanisms for the initial events in olfaction, as well as to provide new ways to alleviate anosmia related to the loss of olfactory receptors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn, AL, USA.
authors.forename: Samantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hagerty
authors.affiliation: Material Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Yasmine
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Daniels
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn, AL, USA.
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Singletary
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn, AL, USA.
authors.forename: Oleg
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Pustovyy
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn, AL, USA.
authors.forename: Ludmila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Globa
authors.affiliation: Material Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, USA.
authors.forename: William A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: MacCrehan
authors.affiliation: Material Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Shin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Muramoto
authors.affiliation: Material Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Gheorghe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stan
authors.affiliation: Material Measurement Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, USA.
authors.forename: June W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn, AL, USA.
authors.forename: Edward E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Morrison
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn, AL, USA.
authors.forename: Iryna
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sorokulova
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology, Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, Auburn, AL, USA. vodyavi@auburn.edu.|Auburn University, 109 Greene Hall, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA. vodyavi@auburn.edu.
authors.forename: Vitaly
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vodyanoy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004594:Electrophysiology / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D053768:Metal Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry*; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D009812:Odorants; D018034:Olfactory Receptor Neurons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D056951:Photoelectron Spectroscopy; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018035:Receptors, Odorant / Q000737:chemistry; D015032:Zinc / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D018035:Receptors, Odorant; D015032:Zinc; D015034:Zinc Oxide
keywords: AFM; Electroolfactogram; Olfaction; Olfactory receptors; Perception; TEM; XPS