The odorant receptor OR2W3 on airway smooth muscle evokes bronchodilation via a cooperative chemosensory tradeoff between TMEM16A and CFTR

J Huang, H Lam, C Koziol-White… - Proceedings of the …, 2020 - National Acad Sciences
J Huang, H Lam, C Koziol-White, N Limjunyawong, D Kim, N Kim, N Karmacharya…
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2020National Acad Sciences
The recent discovery of sensory (tastant and odorant) G protein-coupled receptors on the
smooth muscle of human bronchi suggests unappreciated therapeutic targets in the
management of obstructive lung diseases. Here we have characterized the effects of a wide
range of volatile odorants on the contractile state of airway smooth muscle (ASM) and
uncovered a complex mechanism of odorant-evoked signaling properties that regulate
excitation-contraction (EC) coupling in human ASM cells. Initial studies established multiple …
The recent discovery of sensory (tastant and odorant) G protein-coupled receptors on the smooth muscle of human bronchi suggests unappreciated therapeutic targets in the management of obstructive lung diseases. Here we have characterized the effects of a wide range of volatile odorants on the contractile state of airway smooth muscle (ASM) and uncovered a complex mechanism of odorant-evoked signaling properties that regulate excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling in human ASM cells. Initial studies established multiple odorous molecules capable of increasing intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) in ASM cells, some of which were (paradoxically) associated with ASM relaxation. Subsequent studies showed a terpenoid molecule (nerol)-stimulated OR2W3 caused increases in [Ca2+]i and relaxation of ASM cells. Of note, OR2W3-evoked [Ca2+]i mobilization and ASM relaxation required Ca2+ flux through the store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) pathway and accompanied plasma membrane depolarization. This chemosensory odorant receptor response was not mediated by adenylyl cyclase (AC)/cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channels or by protein kinase A (PKA) activity. Instead, ASM olfactory responses to the monoterpene nerol were predominated by the activity of Ca2+-activated chloride channels (TMEM16A), including the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) expressed on endo(sarco)plasmic reticulum. These findings demonstrate compartmentalization of Ca2+ signals dictates the odorant receptor OR2W3-induced ASM relaxation and identify a previously unrecognized E-C coupling mechanism that could be exploited in the development of therapeutics to treat obstructive lung diseases.
National Acad Sciences