Transcriptional regulation of the main olfactory epithelium by environmental olfactory exposures

The main olfactory epithelium (MOE) is a highly heterogeneous tissue, comprised of many cell types including but not limited to olfactory sensory neurons, support cells, and immune cells. In this study, we investigated how environmental olfactory exposures impact cell-type specific transcriptional responses in the mouse MOE. We performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) of the MOE following controlled environmental exposure to both well-known odorants (soiled bedding, amyl acetate) and an aeroallergen (house dust mite). We identified major cell types and subtypes within the MOE and identified transcriptional changes in response to the olfactory exposures.