Danger perception and stress response through an olfactory sensor for the bacterial metabolite hydrogen sulfide

Abstract

The olfactory system serves a critical function as a danger detection system to trigger defense responses essential for survival. The cellular and molecular mechanisms that drive such defenses in mammals are incompletely understood. Here, we have discovered an ultrasensitive olfactory sensor for the highly poisonous bacterial metabolite hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in mice. An atypical class of sensory neurons in the main olfactory epithelium, the type B cells, is activated by both H2S and low O2. These two stimuli trigger, respectively, Cnga2- and Trpc2-signaling pathways, which operate in separate subcellular compartments, the cilia and the dendritic knob. This activation drives essential defensive responses: elevation of the stress hormone ACTH, stress-related self-grooming behavior, and conditioned place avoidance. Our findings identify a previously unknown signaling paradigm in mammalian olfaction and define type B cells as chemosensory neurons that integrate distinct danger inputs from the external environment with appropriate defense outputs.