Reduced amount of olfactory receptor neurons in the rat model of depression

•Atrophic olfactory epithelium presents in the CUMS rat model.•Reduced number of basal cells is shown in the olfactory epithelium of CUMS rat model.•Reduced number of immature olfactory receptor neurons is shown in the olfactory epithelium of CUMS rat model.•Reduced number of mature olfactory receptor neurons is shown in the olfactory epithelium of CUMS rat model. Reduced olfactory sensitivity has been reported in depressive disorder. However, the pathological mechanism is still unclear. The reduced olfactory bulb (OB) volume and reduced hippocampal neurogenesis has been unraveled in major depressive disorder (MDD). However, changes in olfactory epithelium (OE) have not been reported, which might contribute to olfactory deficits in MDD. In the context, we investigated the thickness of OE in a chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) rat model of depression using hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. Simultaneously, the basal cells (labeled by nerve growth factor receptor (p75NGFR)), immature olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) (marked by growth-associated protein 43 (GAP43)) and mature ORNs (labeled by olfactory marker protein (OMP)) in OE were detected by immunohistochemistry. The results showed that the thickness of OE, the number of basal cells, immature ORNs as well as mature ORNs decreased dramatically in the OE of CUMS rats. Those findings indicate that the reduced number of ORNs might induce OE atrophy in CUMS rats and the abnormalities of the OE may be partially responsible for the reduced olfactory sensitivity in MDD.