Selective and reversible reduction of odor sensitivity in the rat by concanavalin A

Rats were trained using an olfactometer to detect low concentrations of ethyl acetate (EA) or dimethyl disulphide vapor (DMDS). Concanavalin A (ConA) applied to the olfactory mucosa had no effect on ability of rats to detect low concentrations of EA but produced a marked deficit in detection in DMDS. DMDS detection performance returned to control levels 3 days after the ConA treatment. These results provide the first behavioral evidence for odor-specific inhibition by chemical modification of the olfactory epithelium and support the notion that ConA selectively inactivates one or more types (subclasses) of olfactory receptor proteins.