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The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism Vol. 84, No. 11 4266-4273
Copyright © 1999 by The Endocrine Society


Original Studies

Sex Steroids and Odorants Modulate Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Secretion in Primary Cultures of Human Olfactory Cells1

Tullio Barni, Mario Maggi, Guido Fantoni, Simone Granchi, Rosa Mancina, Massimo Gulisano, Fabio Marra, Elisabetta Macorsini, Michaela Luconi, Carlo Rotella, Mario Serio, Giuseppe C. Balboni and Gabriella B. Vannelli

Departments of Human Anatomy and Histology (T.B., G.F., M.G., G.C.B., G.B.V.) and Clinical Physiopathology, Endocrinology (S.G., R.M., E.M., M.L., C.R., M.S.) and Andrology (M.M.) Units, Institute of Internal Medicine (F.M.), University of Florence, 50134 Florence, Italy

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Gabriella B. Vannelli, M.D., Department of Human Anatomy and Histology, University of Florence, Violex Morgagni 85, 50134 Florence, Italy. E-mail: vannelli{at}cesit1.unifi.it


    Abstract
 Top
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Materials and Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 References
 
Olfactory neurons and GnRH neurons share a common origin during development. In the nasal epithelia, GnRH neurons persist throughout fetal life and adulthood. The fate and function of these neurons in vivo have remained unknown. In a previous in vitro study, we isolated, cloned, and propagated primary long term cell cultures from the olfactory neuroepithelium of 8- to 12-week-old human fetuses. These cells expressed both neural proteins as well as olfactory genes and were responsive to odorant stimuli. We now report that these human olfactory cells also express the GnRH gene and protein. Combined HPLC and RIA studies have indicated that these cells release authentic GnRH in spent media. The release of GnRH was time dependent and was positively affected by sex steroids and odorants. Immunohistochemical data demonstrated the presence of sex steroid receptors in these cells. The presence of the {alpha}- and ß-subtypes of the estrogen receptor was also demonstrated by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. When the cells were stimulated with increasing concentrations of 17ß-estradiol in the presence of a fixed concentration of progesterone (10-7 mol/L), the combination of the two steroids induced a 3- to 4-fold increase in GnRH secretion. This stimulatory effect was completely blunted by tamoxifen. Neither 17ß-estradiol nor progesterone was effective when tested separately. Treatment with increasing concentrations of the odorant, l-carvone, induced a time- and dose-dependent dramatic increase in GnRH protein release (1000-fold increase) and gene expression. Repeated application of the stimulus resulted in a progressive lower responsiveness of the cells. To our knowledge, this is the first time that primary cell cultures from human fetal olfactory neuroepithelium have been shown to express and release GnRH. Our results also demonstrate that these cultures, which are sensitive to sex steroids and odorants, can be useful models in the study of the complex array of regulatory factors that finely tune GnRH secretion in humans.


    Introduction
 Top
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Materials and Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 References
 
IN MAMMALS, the olfactory sensory neurons reside within the posterior recesses of the nose, whereas the GnRH neurons reside within the hypothalamus (1, 2). During organogenesis, both the olfactory and GnRH neurons originate in the olfactory placode that will eventually give rise to the olfactory epithelium. Although the olfactory cells project their axons to the olfactory bulb, the GnRH neurons migrate along the pathway of the olfactory nerve, cross the nasal septum, and arrive at the septal-preoptic area and hypothalamus (3, 4). GnRH neurons cannot be detected in the brain until the connections between the cranial nerve I system and the presumptive bulbs are formed. Therefore, the targeting of the olfactory axons and the migration of the GnRH neurons appear to be time correlated (5).

Kallmann’s syndrome is caused by a defect in the migratory pathway for GnRH-expressing neurons as a result of Kal protein deficiency (6, 7). The disorder is clinically characterized by the association of an inability to smell (anosmia) with a defect in GnRH secretion (hypogonadotropic hypogonadism) (8).

A relationship between the olfactory and the reproductive system has been demonstrated in previous studies, and mammalian olfactory responsiveness to pheromones has been documented (9, 10, 11). It has also been recently demonstrated that pheromones may regulate ovulation in humans (12).

In a previous work, we isolated, characterized, and cloned neuroblast long term cell lines from olfactory epithelium of 8- to 12-week-old human fetuses (13). These cells showed typical neuronal and olfactory properties and were able to respond to odors. We now demonstrate that one such clone, i.e. FNC-B4, not only produces GnRH and responds to sex steroids but is sensitive to odorants in terms of GnRH production. These data represent the first evidence of a direct link between the olfactory and the neuroendocrine systems in humans.


    Materials and Methods
 Top
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Materials and Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 References
 
Tissues

Human fetal olfactory epithelium specimens were obtained from seven 8- to 12-week-old fetuses after spontaneous or therapeutic abortion. Legal abortions were performed in authorized hospitals, and certificates of consent were obtained. The study protocols were approved by the university ethical committee. The olfactory epithelium was fixed in buffered formalin, embedded in paraffin, and used for morphological detail and immunohistochemical techniques.

Cell cultures

Primary olfactory neuroblast long term cell cultures of FNC-B4 were isolated, cloned, and propagated in vitro from the human fetal olfactory epithelium, as previously described (13). Although the cells have the some properties as those of immature neurons, they can differentiate and express both neuronal proteins and olfactory genes (13). This suggests that these cultures originate from the neuroblastic stem cell compartment and are composed at all times of cells at different stages of maturation.

These cells, grown as a monolayer, are nontumorigenic and have a normal human karyotype. FNC-B4 cells were cultured in Coon’s modified F-12 medium supplemented with 10% FBS in a 5% CO2 atmosphere at 37 C, as previously described (13, 14).

Antisera

The following polyclonal (PA) and monoclonal (MA) antibodies were used for immunocytochemistry at the indicated dilutions: rabbit PA to human GnRH (INCSTAR Corp., Stillwater, MN), dilution 1:1000; mouse MA to human estrogen receptor (ER), clone ER1D5, dilution 1:25 (BioGenex Laboratories, Inc., San Ramon, CA); and mouse MA to human progesterone (Pg) receptor (PR), clone PGR1A6, dilution 1:40 (BioGenex Laboratories, Inc.).

The MA {alpha}H222 was used for Western blot analysis of the ER. It was a gift from Prof. Geoffrey Greene (The Ben May Institute for Cancer Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL).

Chemicals

[125I]GnRH (2200 Ci/mmol) and [{alpha}-35S-thio]UTP (1300 mCi/mmol) were obtained from NEN Life Science Products (Milan, Italy). GnRH RIA kit was obtained from Buhlmann Laboratories AG (Allschwil, Switzerland). Odorant compounds were purchased from Aldrich Chimica (Milan, Italy). Synthetic GnRH was obtained from INCSTAR Corp. Tamoxifen and sex steroids were purchased from Sigma Chemical Co. (St. Louis, MO). 3,4,3',4'-Tetra-aminodiphenylhydrochloride (diaminobenzidine) was obtained from BDH Chemical Ltd. (Poole, UK). 3-Amino-9-ethyl-carbazole was purchased from Sigma Chemical Co. Universal immunoperoxidase staining kits were obtained from Vector Laboratories, Inc. (Burlingame, CA).

Immunohistochemistry

Immunohistochemical studies were carried out on deparaffinized and rehydrated sections or cultured cells fixed in 3.7% paraformaldehyde for 15 min, as previously described (13, 15). The specimens were subsequently exposed to 0.3% hydrogen peroxide-methanol solution to quench endogenous peroxidase activity. Slides were rinsed in tap water, then immersed in 10 mmol/L citrate buffer (pH 6) and microwaved for 40 min at 350 watts to enhance antigen exposure. The primary antibody, appropriately diluted in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), was added to the slides and incubated overnight at 4 C. Sections were rinsed in PBS, incubated with biotinylated secondary antibodies, and finally incubated with streptavidin-biotin peroxidase complex (LSAB kit, DAKO Corp., Carpinteria, CA). The development reaction of the product was performed using diaminobenzidine tetrahydrochloride or 3-amino-9-ethyl-carbazole as chromogen. Slides were washed in running tap water and counterstained with hematoxylin followed by dehydration and coverslip mounting. Controls were performed by processing slides lacking the primary antibodies, by staining with the corresponding nonimmune serum, or by preincubating the primary antibodies with the synthetic antigen. The slides were evaluated and photographed using a Nikon Microphone-FX microscope (Nikon, Tokyo, Japan).

SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis

FNC-B4 and MCF-7 cells grown to confluence were scraped in PBS, centrifuged, and resuspended in lysis buffer [20 mmol/L Tris (pH 7.4), 150 mmol/L NaCl, 0.25% Nonidet P-40, 1 mmol/L Na3VO4, 1 mmol/L phenylmethylsulfonylfluoride, and 1 mmol/L ethyleneglycol-bis-(ß-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid].

Human uterus samples, obtained at surgery, were minced with sharp scissors, suspended in lysis buffer, and homogenized (Teflon-glass). The homogenates were centrifuged at 1500 rpm for 10 min at 4 C, and supernatants corresponding to total lysates were subjected to protein measurement (Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., Hercules, CA).

After protein measurement, aliquots containing 50 µg proteins were diluted in reducing 2x SB [Laemmli’s sample buffer = 62.5 mmol/L Tris (pH 6.8), 10% glycerol, 10% SDS, 2.5% pyronin, and 100 mmol/L dithiothreitol] and loaded onto 8% SDS-PAGE. After SDS-PAGE, proteins were transferred to nitrocellulose membranes. Membranes were blocked overnight at 4 C in 5% BSA-TTBS (0.1% Tween-20, 20 mmol/L Tris, and 150 mmol/L NaCl), washed in TTBS, and incubated for 2 h with {alpha}H222 antibody (16) followed by peroxidase-conjugated secondary IgG (Sigma Chemical Co.). Finally, reacted proteins were revealed using an enhanced chemiluminescence system (BM, Roche Molecular Biochemicals, Milan, Italy).

cAMP determination

Cells were plated in 24-well plates and grown to subconfluence in Coon’s modified Ham’s F-12 plus 10% FCS. After removing the medium, cells were incubated for 30 min at 37 C in assay buffer (0.025 mol/L Tris-acetate, 0.25 mol/L sucrose, 0.5% BSA, 5 mmol/L glucose, and 0.6 mmol/L 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine) containing increasing concentrations of l-carvone or the solvent. To stop the reaction equal volumes of cold (-20 C) absolute ethanol were added, and samples were stored at -20 C. After vacuum drying, samples were reconstituted with 0.05 mol/L sodium acetate, pH 6.2, and cAMP was determined by RIA as previously described (13).

Northern blot analysis and RT-PCR

Total ribonucleic acid (RNA) from FNC-B4 cells, from the prostate and mammary cancer cell lines, DU-145 and MCF-7, and from human testis was isolated as previously described (17) and quantified by spectrofluorometric analysis at 260 nm. For Northern analysis, the samples were fractionated in a 1.2% agarose gel containing 8% formaldehyde; the RNA was then transferred onto nylon membranes (Hybond-N, Amersham Pharmacia Biotech, Milan, Italy) and baked at 80 C for 2 h. Membranes were prehybridized for 1 h and hybridized overnight at 65 C with Church and Gilbert solution containing 10 mg/mL BSA, 7% SDS, 0.25 mol/L PBS, 1 mmol/L ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA; pH 8), and 0.2 mg/mL hot-denatured sonicated herring sperm DNA. The probe for the detection of GnRH messenger RNA was derived from RT-PCR amplification of the placental total RNA, using the Superscript One-Step RT-PCR System (Life Technologies, Inc., Gaithersburg, MD). The sequence of the sense primer was 5'-GCA AGC CAG CAA GTG TCT C-3' (904–924 bp); the sequence of the antisense primer was 5'-GCA ACT TGG TGT AAG GAT-3' (1478–1461 bp). The amplified DNA was purified using the Quiaquick PCR Purification Kit (Qiagen S.A., Courtaboeuf, France). The probe was labeled with 5'-[{alpha}-32P]deoxy-CTP using a random priming kit (Roche Molecular Biochemicals, Milan, Italy) and chromatographed (Nu-Clean D25 Disposable Spun Columns, IBI, New Haven, CT) before use. Washing was performed once at 65 C in 5% SDS, 0.04 mol/L PBS, 1 mmol/L EDTA (pH 8), and 5 mg/mL BSA and once at 65 C in 1% SDS, 0.04 mol/L PBS, and 1 mmol/L EDTA, pH 8. Hybridized nylon membranes were submitted to autoradiography using Hyperfilm-MP (Amersham Pharmacia Biotech Italy, Milan, Italy) and Kodak X-Omatic Regular intensifying screen at -80 C for 15 days.

RT-PCR for the {alpha}- and ß-subtypes of the ER was performed on 1 µg total RNA, using the Superscript One Step RT-PCR System (Life Technologies, Inc.) according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The ER {alpha}- and ß-specific primers were, respectively: ER{alpha}-F (sense primer), 5'-GAC CCT CCA CAC CAA AGC ATC TG-3'; ER{alpha}-R (antisense primer), 5'-CTC CTC TTC GGT CTT TTC GTA TCC-3'; ERß-F (sense primer) 5'-TAG TGG TCC ATC GCC AGT TAT-3'; and finally, ERß-R (antisense primer) 5'-GGG AGC CAC ACT TCA CCA T-3'. The quality of the total RNA used was assessed by performing additional RT-PCR using primers specific for the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene.

GnRH RIA

Immunoreactive GnRH was extracted from the conditioned media of the FNC-B4 cells with chilled absolute ethanol (-20 C), evaporated to dryness, and subjected to RIA using a commercial kit. The recovery of unlabeled GnRH added to the media, before extraction, was 81%. A close parallelism with the standard curve was found when serial dilution of the FNC-B4 cell-conditioned media or extracts of the rat hypothalamus were subjected to RIA. The odorants tested, including l-carvone, do not cross-react with the antibody employed in the RIA.

High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)

Reverse phase HPLC was performed on a BIO-SIL column (250 x 4 mm; Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.) as previously described (18). Briefly, after extraction, samples or standards were injected and eluted with a linear gradient of acetonitrile in 0.1% trifluoroacetic acid with a flow rate of 1 mL/min. The acetonitrile gradient was from 10–70% for 40 min. Fractions (1 mL) were collected, evaporated, and subjected to GnRH RIA. The reproducibility of the elution pattern of each HPLC run was verified by adding about 3000 cpm labeled GnRH.

Statistical analysis

Data are expressed as the mean ± SE of the percent stimulation over the basal level (100%). The significance of the difference was calculated by Wilcoxon rank sum test, with P < 0.05 considered statistically significant. The computer program ALLFIT was employed to analyze the sigmoidal dose-response curves and the relative medium effective concentration (EC50) (19).


    Results
 Top
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Materials and Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 References
 
GnRH-like immunoreactivity (GnRH-LI) was present in the olfactory mucosa of the 8- to 12-week-old human fetuses (Fig. 1AGo). GnRH-LI was also present in the FNC-B4 cells (Fig. 1BGo) The specificity of the immunohistochemical staining was demonstrated in the olfactory cells by the complete absence of any staining after preabsorption of the anti-GnRH antibody with synthetic GnRH (100 µg/mL; Fig. 1Go, C and D). FNC-B4 cells secreted GnRH-LI in the spent media, as a function of time, reaching a maximum after 24 h (Fig. 2Go). HPLC analysis indicated that the GnRH-LI in the extracted medium from the FNC-B4 cells corresponded to authentic GnRH, as it eluted in the same fraction as the synthetic peptide GnRH (Fig. 2Go, inset). Specific transcripts for GnRH were expressed in the olfactory neurons of the FNC-B4 cells as well as in the prostatic cancer cell line DU-145, which was used as a positive control (20) (see below).



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Figure 1. Immunolocalization of GnRH in olfactory cells of human olfactory mucosa from a 12-week-old fetus (A) and in the FNC-B4 cell line (B). Synthetic GnRH (100 µg/mL) completely prevents immunopositivity (C and D). Original magnification: A–D, x450.

 


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Figure 2. RIA of GnRH in spent media from FNC-B4 cells. GnRH release was time dependent, reaching a maximum after 24 h. Inset, Reverse phase HPLC profile of FNC-B4 cells in spent medium extracts. The arrow indicates the elution position of GnRH standard.

 
As the FNC-B4 cells expressed GnRH gene and protein and secreted the protein in the conditioned media, we investigated which factors might regulate the GnRH secretion. The results of immunohistochemical testing using specific antibodies indicated that both the olfactory mucosa of 8- to 12-week-old human fetuses (Fig. 3Go, A and B) and the FNC-B4 olfactory neurons (Fig. 3Go, C and D) were positive for ER and PR. In the section incubated with nonimmune serum, labeling was absent (Fig. 3Go, E and F). To further investigate the nature of the ER identified in FNC-B4 cells, we studied the gene and protein expression of the {alpha}- and ß-subtypes of the ER using specific primers and a MA ({alpha}H222) that recognizes both subtypes of the receptor. Western blot analysis (Fig. 4AGo) and RT-PCR (Fig. 4BGo) indicated that indeed both ER{alpha} and ERß were expressed by FNC-B4 cells. The effects of sex steroid on the GnRH secretion were therefore investigated. We incubated the FNC-B4 cells for 24 h in the presence of increasing concentrations (10-11–10-6 mol/L) of Pg, estradiol (17ßE2) and a combination of the two. Individually, neither 17ßE2 nor Pg significantly affected GnRH secretion (data not shown; n = 3). Conversely, in the presence of fixed concentration of Pg (100 nmol/L), 17ßE2 induced a dose-dependent 3- to 4-fold increase in GnRH secretion, with an EC50 of 6.3 pmol/L (n = 7; Fig. 5Go). The stimulatory effect of 17ßE2 started to be significant at 10-11 mol/L (P < 0.05) and was highly significant at higher concentrations of 17ßE2 (10-10–10-8 mol/L; P < 0.001). The specificity of the estrogen effect on GnRH secretion was further validated by the evidence that tamoxifen completely antagonized the stimulatory activity of 17ßE2 (n = 3; Fig. 5Go).



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Figure 3. Sex steroid receptor expression by human olfactory mucosa from a 9-week-old fetus and by FNC-B4 cells. Several nuclei of olfactory cells in fetal olfactory mucosa specimens and those of FNC-B4 cells stained positive for both ER (A and C) and PR (B and D). No positive reaction detectable in the sections incubated with nonimmune serum (E and F). Original magnification: A, B, and E, x300; C, D, and F, x450.

 


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Figure 4. A, Western blot analysis of total lysates from FNC-B4, MCF7 cells, and human uterus with {alpha}H222 antibody. All lysates were obtained as described in Materials and Methods, and protein extracts were separated onto 8% reducing SDS-PAGE. Western blot analysis with {alpha}H222 antibody (1:400) revealed two protein bands, indicated by the arrows, migrating at the expected molecular weights for {alpha} and ß ERs, which are present as doublets in FNC-B4 cells. Doublets probably represent posttransductional modifications, such as protein phosphorylation. Molecular weight markers are indicated. B and C, Ethidium bromide-stained agarose gels, showing RT-PCR products for ERß (B) and ER{alpha} (C) in the FNC-B4 cell line. Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) gene expression is also shown as a control. Lane 1, DNA molecular weight markers; lanes 2 and 5, control reactions (no RNA); lanes 4 and 7, FNC-B4 cells. B, Lanes 3 and 6, human testis (positive control for ERß). C, Lanes 3 and 6, MCF7 cells (positive control for ER{alpha}). Note the presence of signals of the expected sizes (ERß, 418 bp; ER{alpha}, 776 bp) for both subtypes of the ER in controls as well as in FNC-B4 cells.

 


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Figure 5. Percent increase over the control value (100%) of GnRH secretion by FNC-B4 cells stimulated with increasing concentrations of 17ßE2 (10-11–10-6 mol/L) in the presence of a fixed concentration (10-7 mol/L) of Pg with (open circles) or without (closed boxes) a simultaneous incubation with tamoxifen (10-7 mol/L). In the absence of tamoxifen, the combination of the two sex steroids induced a 3- to 4-fold increase in GnRH secretion (n = 7). The stimulatory effect was completely abolished by tamoxifen (n = 3).

 
As we previously reported that olfactory neurons in culture are responsive to odorants with intracellular accumulation of cAMP (13), we tested the effects of different odorant stimuli on GnRH secretion. We found that FNC-B4 cells were insensitive to increasing concentrations of the odorants isoamyl acetate, menthone, and citronellal (10-13–10-7 mol/L; n = 3). Conversely, picomolar concentrations of l-carvone stimulated a 1000-fold increase in GnRH protein release (n = 5; Fig. 6AGo) with a concomitant increase in cAMP accumulation (Fig. 6BGo). The stimulatory effect of l-carvone (10-11 mol/L) on GnRH gene (Fig. 7AGo) and protein (Fig. 7BGo) expression was time dependent, reaching a maximum after 24 h of treatment. However, iterative stimulation with l-carvone (10-11 mol/L, one pulse every 12 h) resulted in a progressive reduction in FNC-B4 responsiveness, indicating that desensitization is occurring (Fig. 7CGo). l-Carvone-induced GnRH secretion was just observed in FNC-B4 cells and not in the prostatic cancer cell line DU-145, although it expresses a specific transcript for GnRH (Fig. 7AGo) and secretes GnRH in the culture medium (not shown).



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Figure 6. Effect of l-carvone on GnRH protein release and cAMP accumulation. A, Percent increase over control value (100%) in GnRH secretion by FNC-B4 cells stimulated with increasing concentrations of different odorants (10-13–10-7 mol/L). After 24 h treatment, l-carvone (open square) induced a 1000-fold increase in GnRH secretion. The other odorants tested were not effective. Results are expressed in a log scale, as the percent increase over the control value (100%). B, Effects of increasing concentrations of l-carvone on cAMP accumulation in FNC-B4 cells. Note that l-carvone was effective on GnRH secretion and cAMP accumulation only in picomolar concentration.

 


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Figure 7. Time-related effects of l-carvone (10-11 mol/L) on GnRH gene and protein expression. A, Northern blot analysis of total messenger RNA from FNC-B4 cells after stimulation with l-carvone. Expression of specific transcripts for GnRH increased by time, reaching a maximum after 24-h stimulation. GnRH gene expression in the prostate cancer cell line DU-145 is also shown as a positive control. B, Time-dependent increase in GnRH secretion by FNC-B4 cells after stimulation with l-carvone, as assessed by RIA. Results are expressed on a log scale, as the percent increase over the control value (100%). Note that the protein increase is relatively concomitant to the increase in gene expression, being apparent only at the latest time points. C, Effect of repeated application of l-carvone (arrows) on GnRH secretion as a function of time. FNC-B4 cells were stimulated with l-carvone every 12 h, and the conditioned medium was collected and substituted with fresh medium. After the first burst of secretion, the subsequent stimuli resulted in a lower GnRH increase over the control value (100%).

 

    Discussion
 Top
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Materials and Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 References
 
Olfactory neurons and GnRH neurons share a common origin during organogenesis (3, 4). Kallmann’s syndrome, clinically characterized by anosmia and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, is due to a defect in the development of the olfactory system (8). Immortalized GnRH-secreting neurons, obtained from transgenic mice, have been used to study several aspects of the signaling and secretory properties of the GnRH neurons (21, 22). However, until our study, no data were available on the fine-tuning of GnRH secretion in an in vitro human model. In this study, we demonstrated that the human olfactory neuroblast cell line, FNC-B4, secretes GnRH, and that sex steroids and odorants regulate its secretion.

The presence of GnRH immunoreactivity in the nasal epithelia of both normal human fetuses and those with Kallmann’s syndrome at the midtrimester of gestation has been demonstrated in previous studies (23, 24). Our results show that immunopositivity for GnRH is present in the olfactory mucosa of 8- to 12-week-old human fetuses. This demonstrates the presence of GnRH-immunopositive cells in human olfactory mucosa early in development. Immunoreactivity was also present in the FNC-B4 cells that had been isolated and cloned from olfactory mucosa at the same stage of fetal maturation. The expression of the GnRH gene and the secretion of the GnRH protein in the spent medium by the FNC-B4 cells lend support to a neuroendocrine identity of these olfactory neurons.

Although several clinical and animal experimental models have shown that gonadal steroids are among the endocrine factors that control GnRH secretion (25, 26), there is no evidence of the presence of the steroid receptors in prepubertal (27) or adult animals (28). In our study, the olfactory mucosa of the 8- to 12-week-old fetuses was immunopositive for both GnRH and sex steroid receptors. The FNC-B4 cell line is also immunopositive for sex steroid receptors. In particular, FNC-B4 cells express specific genes and proteins for both subtypes of ER, i.e. the {alpha}- and ß-subtypes. Therefore, we investigated the role of sex steroids in GnRH secretion in these cells. FNC-B4 cells were insensitive to increasing concentrations of either 17ßE2 or Pg. However, when the two steroids were combined, a sustained increase in GnRH release was observed. Note that the sex steroid concentrations eliciting GnRH secretion in our in vitro system are very similar to those found in human blood at the time of ovulation, when the physiological surge in GnRH secretion takes place.

In mammals, the olfactory system is responsive to olfactory cues defined as pheromones; these substances are secreted by different individuals within a species. In most instances, these chemical signals provide information on reproductive status and gender and may elicit certain types of sexual behavior. They can also cause profound neuroendocrine changes (29, 30, 31). A recent report demonstrated the existence of human pheromones and hypothesized that humans have the potential to communicate pheromonally (12). In particular, the timing of ovulation can be manipulated by axillary compounds collected from the armpits of women during the different phases of their menstrual cycles.

As we had previously reported that olfactory neurons in culture were responsive to aromatic chemicals with intracellular cAMP accumulation (13), we also tested the effect of some different odorants (13, 32) on GnRH secretion. Only l-carvone induced a remarkable increase in GnRH secretion and gene expression. The selective response to l-carvone, as expressed by both GnRH protein release and gene expression, probably reflects some distinct odor specificity of the clone. It also confirms previous data, which demonstrated that a single olfactory cell expresses only a small subset of distinct receptors and responds to a restricted number of odorants (33, 34, 35).

This is the first report on GnRH production in human olfactory cells exposed to a selective odorant. The regulation of GnRH expression by sex steroids and odorants can help elucidate the complex neuroendocrine network that controls human reproductive behavior.


    Acknowledgments
 
We gratefully acknowledge Prof. Geoffrey Greene (The Ben May Institute for Cancer Research, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL) for generously providing the anti-ER antibody {alpha}H222. We also thank Prof. Felice Petraglia (Department of Surgical Sciences, Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Udine, Udine, Italy) for his comments. We thank Dr. Clara Crescioli (Department of Clinical Physiopathology, Endocrinology Unit, University of Florence, Florence, Italy) and Dr. Roberto Zonefrati (Institute of Internal Medicine and Immunoallergology, University of Florence) for their technical assistance.


    Footnotes
 
1 This work was supported by grants from Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (97.04304.CT04), Regione Toscana (III Programma di Ricerca Sanitaria Finalizzata no. 250/C), Istituto Superiore di Educazione Fisica of Florence and the University of Florence. Back

Received February 22, 1999.

Revised August 3, 1999.

Accepted August 9, 1999.


    References
 Top
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Materials and Methods
 Results
 Discussion
 References
 

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