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Ectopic Olfactory Receptors in Oral Health and Disease: Molecular Links Between Chemosensing, Tissue Repair,

Jun Ohshima1, Nobutake Tanaka1, Masayoshi Morita1

  • 1Department of Restorative Dentistry and Endodontology, Graduate School of Dentistry, The University of Osaka, Suita 565-0871, Japan.

International Journal of Molecular Sciences
|July 15, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Ectopic olfactory receptors (ORs) are found in the oral cavity, potentially sensing metabolites and influencing oral health. Further research is needed to validate their roles in oral diseases like periodontitis and cancer.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Oral Biology

Background:

  • Ectopic olfactory receptors (ORs), G protein-coupled chemosensors, are found outside the olfactory epithelium, including the oral cavity.
  • The oral cavity is exposed to diverse chemical compounds, but the functions of oral ORs are not fully understood.
  • Oral ORs may link local chemical signals to cell-specific responses, impacting oral tissue homeostasis and disease.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review and synthesize current evidence on OR expression and signaling in oral tissues.
  • To explore the potential roles of oral ORs in oral health and disease, including periodontitis and oral cancer.
  • To propose a framework for future research on oral ORs.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and critical synthesis of existing studies on oral ORs.
  • Analysis of transcriptomic and localization data in oral mucosa and periodontal ligament.
  • Identification of candidate ligand-receptor-signaling pathways, such as those involving short-chain fatty acids and lactate.

Main Results:

  • Functional OR signaling is confirmed in mammalian taste cells.
  • Emerging evidence suggests OR-related gene expression programs in oral mucosa and periodontal ligament, particularly during tissue repair.
  • Candidate metabolic axes (e.g., SCFAs, lactate) linked to ORs offer hypotheses for microbiome-host communication in oral diseases, but direct causal validation is limited.

Conclusions:

  • Oral ORs are candidate molecular modulators and potential components of biomarker strategies.
  • Direct causal validation of oral ORs in oral disease models is currently limited.
  • Oral ORs should be considered candidate targets rather than validated standalone diagnostic or therapeutic agents at this stage.
Keywords:
G protein-coupled receptorectopic olfactory receptormicrobiome–metabolite–host interactionoral mucosaoral squamous cell carcinomaperiodontitistaste dysfunction

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