Phosphodiesterase 1C is dispensable for rapid response termination of olfactory sensory neurons

In the nose, odorants are detected on the cilia of olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs), where a cAMP-mediated signaling pathway transforms odor stimulation into electrical responses. Phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity in OSN cilia was long thought to account for rapid response termination by degrading odor-induced cAMP. Two PDEs with distinct cellular localization have been found in OSNs: PDE1C in cilia; PDE4A throughout the cell but absent from cilia. We disrupted both genes in mice and performed electroolfactogram analysis. Unexpectedly, eliminating PDE1C did not prolong response termination. Prolonged termination occurred only in mice lacking both PDEs, suggesting that cAMP degradation by PDE1C in cilia is not a rate-limiting factor for response termination in wildtype. Pde1c(−/−) OSNs instead displayed reduced sensitivity and attenuated adaptation to repeated stimulation, suggesting potential roles for PDE1C in regulating sensitivity and adaptation. These observations provide new perspectives in regulation of olfactory transduction.