Chemosensory Cells in the Nose Play a Role in Allergic Reactions

In mice, a group of nasal epithelial cells called brush cells release pro-inflammatory signals in response to allergens.

Written byAbby Olena, PhD

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ABOVE: A cross section of the mouse nose indicating airway brush cells in green, one of which is magnified in the lower left corner, and all cell nuclei in blue
SALTANAT UALIYEVA AND LORA BANKOVA

There are a lot of unknowns when it comes to understanding how the mammalian respiratory tract responds to allergens, but a study published today (January 17) in Science Immunology, offers new insight. Researchers identified a group of epithelial cells in the mouse nose that are capable of responding to allergens directly and also to ATP released in response to allergens. When exposed to allergens, these so-called brush cells secrete cysteinyl leukotrienes, proinflammatory lipids that have been previously shown to come mostly from immune cells and have been linked to asthma and allergies.

“We have been interested in how allergens are recognized by the airway epithelium and how they drive immune responses that are biased towards allergic ...

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Meet the Author

Abby Olena, PhD
As a freelancer for The Scientist, Abby reports on new developments in life science for the website. She has a PhD from Vanderbilt University and got her start in science journalism as the Chicago Tribune’s AAAS Mass Media Fellow in 2013. Following a stint as an intern for The Scientist, Abby was a postdoc in science communication at Duke University, where she developed and taught courses to help scientists share their research. In addition to her work as a science journalist, she leads science writing and communication workshops and co-produces a conversational podcast. She is based in Alabama.
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