Research from Korea published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences shows an association between the expression of olfactory receptors in skin and UV and inflammation-induced barrier dysfunction.
According to the article abstract, olfactory receptors (ORs) previously have been proposed as diagnostic markers and targets to treat various pathological conditions. This study sought to characterize changes in the expression of ORs in HaCaT human keratinocytes exposed to UV light or inflammation; well-recognized stimuli for skin barrier disruption.
The authors confirmed that major olfactory signaling components are highly expressed in HaCaT cells. Furthermore, the 12 ectopic ORs detected in HaCaT cells were more highly expressed under UV-irradiated or inflammatory conditions than under normal conditions.
The authors concluded that while more studies are warranted, these results show the potential for ORs as markers for skin barrier abnormalities. For more information, see the full open access article.
