Olfactory receptors (ORs) are typically expressed in the nasal epithelium where they mediate communication between environmental odorants and the nervous system. Interestingly, there is recent evidence that expression of these G protein-coupled receptors occurs also outside olfactory sensory neurons, e. g. in the skin pointing towards a broader function of ORs far beyond smell perception. Accordingly, we could recently show that functional OR2AT4 is expressed by human epidermal keratinocytes. A synthetic sandalwood odorant induced wound healing processes in human keratinocytes via OR2AT4 (Busse et al. Invest Dermatol 2014; 134: 2823-2832). Here we further investigated the expression of additional ORs, i. e. OR6M1, OR11A1, OR5V1, OR6V1, OR14A2, OR5D16, OR6Y1, OR10J5, OR1G1, OR11H7P, OR2J3, OR5A1 and OR7D4 in cultured human epidermal keratinocytes, epidermal melanocytes and dermal fibroblasts using RT-PCR analysis, Western immunoblotting and immunofluorescence analysis. While OR11A1, OR5V1, OR14A2, OR5D16, OR6Y1, OR10J5 and OR1G1 were undetectable in all examined cell types human epidermal melanocytes as well as epidermal keratinocytes consistently (n=3 per cell type) expressed OR6V1 at the RNA level. Western immunoblotting confirmed expression of this OR in both cell types. Moreover, immunofluorescence analysis revealed OR6V1 immunoreactivity at the cell surface and within the cytoplasm of these cell types. Importantly, OR6V1 expression was also detected by RT-PCR in skin
samples from the forearm of n=10 healthy volunteers. Taken together, our studies show the presence of a novel olfactory receptor, OR6V1, in human skin. Functional studies have to clarify the role of this receptor in cutaneous physiology and pathophysiology.

Detection of the olfactory receptor OR6V1 in cutaneous cell types in vitro and ex vivo