ACKR3 in olfactory glia cells shapes the immune defense of the olfactory mucosa

Abstract

Barrier‐forming olfactory glia cells, termed sustentacular cells, play important roles for immune defense of the olfactory mucosa, for example as entry sites for SARS‐CoV‐2 and subsequent development of inflammation‐induced smell loss. Here we demonstrate that sustentacular cells express ACKR3, a chemokine receptor that functions both as a scavenger of the chemokine CXCL12 and as an activator of alternative signaling pathways. Differential gene expression analysis of bulk RNA sequencing data obtained from WT and ACKR3 conditional knockout mice revealed upregulation of genes involved in immune defense. To map the regulated genes to the different cell types of the olfactory mucosa, we employed biocomputational methods utilizing a single‐cell reference atlas. Transcriptome analysis, PCR and immunofluorescence identified up‐regulation of NF‐κB‐related genes, known to amplify inflammatory signaling and to facilitate leukocyte transmigration, in the gliogenic lineage. Accordingly, we found a marked increase in leukocyte‐expressed genes and confirmed leukocyte infiltration into the olfactory mucosa. In addition, lack of ACKR3 led to enhanced expression and secretion of early mediators of immune defense by Bowman's glands. As a result, the number of apoptotic cells in the epithelium was decreased. In conclusion, our research underlines the importance of sustentacular cells in immune defense of the olfactory mucosa. Moreover, it identifies ACKR3, a druggable G protein‐coupled receptor, as a promising target for modulation of inflammation‐associated anosmia.