Abstract
The distributions of olfactory receptors (ORs) are widely available
throughout our body, not compartmentalized in nasal parts, which are
known as Ectopic olfactory receptors (EORs). Their functions are diverse
but the majority of them are yet to be determined. ORs in non-olfactory
tissues transduce their signals via different pathways that vary
depending on their placements. As they are G-protein coupled receptors
(GPCR), they stimulate Golf protein following the activation with
specific ligands. They are involved in several cellular processes like
chemotaxis, tissue repairing, hair growth, cell proliferation, energy
metabolism, inflammation, apoptosis, etc. All these functions make them
prospective therapeutic targets. The transformed expression level of ORs
in the healthy and cancerous cells might open a new door to detect and
diagnose cancer in the early stages. Ligand-based activation can also
block the cancer pathway. This review summarizes the therapeutic
potential of the EORs including their manifold functions outlined till
date.