The "olfactory receptor," which is a protein for sensing odors, exists in the nerves of the nose and plays a role in sensing odorous substances in the air.This time, the joint research group of Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Engineering, and Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine has applied not only to the nose but also to the insulin-secreting cells (β cells) of the pancreas in humans and mice. For the first time in the world, we discovered that multiple olfactory receptors are expressed.
The research group focused on Olfr15, one of the olfactory receptors, and proceeded with further research.As a result, it was clarified that oral administration of octanoic acid, which is one of the odorants, to mice promotes insulin secretion and improves hyperglycemia.
This discovery is a remarkable discovery for us Japanese.This is because diabetes is a disease in which the blood glucose level rises due to various causes, but in Asian people including us Japanese, a decrease in insulin secretion is an important cause.Therefore, it can be said that the promotion of insulin secretion via the olfactory receptor of pancreatic β cells discovered this time meets the needs of Japanese people for diabetes treatment.In the future, it is expected to develop a new therapeutic drug for diabetes by searching for substances that act on the olfactory receptors expressed in pancreatic β cells.
Paper information:[Scientific Reports] Olfactory receptors are expressed in pancreatic β-cells and promote glucose-stimulated insulin secretions
