6533b828fe1ef96bd1288182

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Aroma volatile metabolites at olfactory mucosa level evidenced by in vitro PTR-Tof-MS studies

subject

description

International audience; Olfactory mucosa can metabolize odorants through various enzymatic mechanisms participating in their clearance and therefore in the termination of the olfactory signal. Preliminary ex-vivo studies using headspace-GC revealed the formation of volatile metabolites when odorant molecules were injected above a fresh explant of rat olfactory mucosa. However, this method did not allow accessing the data during the first five minutes of contact between the odorant and the mucosa, thus limiting the olfactory biological significance. Using a direct-injection mass spectrometry technique (PTR-MS) we have been able for the first time to investigate the first moments of the enzymatic process of the metabolic capacity of ex-vivo rat olfactory mucosa in real time. Using various odorous substrates, we demonstrated that they can be metabolized by an ex-vivo olfactory mucosa within seconds, producing volatile metabolites. Significance for human olfaction has to be investigated and will be discussed.