Olfactory Function as a Candidate Endpoint of Type 2 (Th2) Inflammation: Translational Rationale from Humans to Dogs
Abstract
1. Introduction
1.1. Immunological Basis of Type 2 (Th2) Inflammation
1.2. Th2-Driven Diseases: Shared Core Immunopathological Pathways with Species-Specific Variation
1.3. Olfactory Function as a Functional Endpoint of Type 2 Inflammation
2. Methods
3. Type 2 (Th2) Diseases in Humans
3.1. Pathogenetic Mechanisms of Th2 Inflammation in Humans
3.2. Major Human Th2-Driven Diseases
3.3. Effects of Th2 Inflammation on Human Olfaction
3.4. Olfactory Outcomes as Clinical Endpoints in Biologic Therapies
3.5. Validated Tools for Assessing Olfactory Function in Humans
4. Type 2 (Th2) Diseases in Dogs
4.1. The Th2 Axis in the Canine Immune Response
4.2. Th2-Driven Diseases in Dogs
4.3. Potential Impact of Type 2 Inflammation on Canine Olfaction
4.4. Biologic and Targeted Therapies in Veterinary Medicine
4.5. Potential Approaches to Olfactory Testing in Dogs
4.6. Criteria for Endpoint Validation in Canine Olfactory Assessment
5. Translational Rationale: From the Human to the Canine Model
5.1. Immunological Analogy of Type 2 (Th2) Inflammation
5.2. Anatomical–Functional and Neuro-Immune Comparison of the Human and Canine Olfactory System
5.3. Proposed Stepwise Mechanistic Framework Across Species
5.4. Methodological Limits and Challenges of Interspecies Translation
5.5. Proposed Translational Study Design Within a One Health Framework
6. Conclusions and Future Directions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
Abbreviations
| CAD | Canine Atopic Dermatitis |
| CD4+ | Cluster of Differentiation 4 |
| CRSwNP | Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps |
| ECP | Eosinophil Cationic Protein |
| fMRI | Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging |
| GATA3 | GATA Binding Protein 3 |
| IgE | Immunoglobulin E |
| IL-4 | Interleukin 4 |
| IL-4Rα | Interleukin 4 Receptor Alpha |
| IL-5 | Interleukin 5 |
| IL-5RA | Interleukin 5 Receptor Alpha |
| IL-13 | Interleukin 13 |
| IL-13Rα1 | Interleukin 13 Receptor Alpha 1 |
| IL-13Rα2 | Interleukin 13 Receptor Alpha 2 |
| IL-20 | Interleukin 20 |
| IL-24 | Interleukin 24 |
| IL-25 | Interleukin 25 |
| IL-31 | Interleukin 31 |
| IL-33 | Interleukin 33 |
| ILC2s | Group 2 Innate Lymphoid Cells |
| JAK | Janus Kinase |
| JAK/STAT | Janus Kinase/Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription |
| MBP | Major Basic Protein |
| SNOT-22 | Sino-Nasal Outcome Test-22 |
| ST2 | Suppression of Tumorigenicity 2 (IL-33 Receptor) |
| STAT6 | Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 6 |
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| Species | Domain | Tool/ Paradigm | Training Required | Output Metrics (Examples) | Strengths | Key Limitations | Current Readiness for Clinical Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Humans | Threshold–Discrimination–Identification | Sniffin’ Sticks (TDI 1) | None | TDI sub-scores and total | Guideline-supported; widely used; good reproducibility | Time-consuming; odor familiarity/cultural effects | High |
| Identification | UPSIT | None | Total identification score | Highly standardized; large normative datasets | Cultural adaptation; limited information on threshold | High | |
| Subjective impact/QoL | QOD; SNOT-22 | None | Questionnaire scores | Captures patient-perceived burden | Not a direct functional measure | High | |
| Dogs | Detection | Target odor vs. blank | Low–moderate | Accuracy; false positives; response time | Scalable; quantitative | Training/handler effects; motivation variability | Moderate |
| Discrimination | Two-choice discrimination (target vs. distractor odors) | Moderate | Accuracy; trials-to-criterion; response time | Higher-order olfactory function | Learning curves; requires strict odor control | Moderate | |
| Threshold | Graded dilutions/olfactometry paradigms | Moderate–high | Threshold estimate; psychometric curve | Closest analog to human threshold | Equipment burden; standardization; feasibility | Low | |
| Sensitivity (minimal training) | Habituation–dishabituation | Minimal | Investigation time; novelty response | Low training burden | Behavioral noise; external validation needed | Moderate | |
| Neural correlates (research) | Awake dog fMRI to odors | High (specialized) | BOLD response; ROI activation | Mechanistic bridge | Cost/complexity; not clinically scalable | Experimental |
| Criterion | Definition | Human Evidence | Canine Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construct validity | Correlation with Type 2 inflammation mechanisms | Strong (CRSwNP) | Not demonstrated |
| Responsiveness | Changes with treatment or disease activity | Demonstrated with biologics | Unknown |
| Reproducibility | Consistent results across measurements | Validated tests (Sniffin’ Sticks, UPSIT) | Limited standardization |
| Feasibility | Practical implementation in clinical settings | High | Variable |
| Confounding control | Influence of external factors | Moderate | High variability (breed, training) |
| Clinical relevance | Correlation with outcomes | Supported | Not established |
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© 2026 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license.
Share and Cite
Serrone, A.; Cavallo, G.; Fadda, G.L.; Marzolla, A.; Serrone, A.; Migliore, L.; Cavallo, G.; Rustichelli, C. Olfactory Function as a Candidate Endpoint of Type 2 (Th2) Inflammation: Translational Rationale from Humans to Dogs. Allergies 2026, 6, 19. https://doi.org/10.3390/allergies6020019
Serrone A, Cavallo G, Fadda GL, Marzolla A, Serrone A, Migliore L, Cavallo G, Rustichelli C. Olfactory Function as a Candidate Endpoint of Type 2 (Th2) Inflammation: Translational Rationale from Humans to Dogs. Allergies. 2026; 6(2):19. https://doi.org/10.3390/allergies6020019
Chicago/Turabian StyleSerrone, Alessandro, Giovanni Cavallo, Gian Luca Fadda, Alessandro Marzolla, Andrea Serrone, Lorenzo Migliore, Giorgia Cavallo, and Chiara Rustichelli. 2026. "Olfactory Function as a Candidate Endpoint of Type 2 (Th2) Inflammation: Translational Rationale from Humans to Dogs" Allergies 6, no. 2: 19. https://doi.org/10.3390/allergies6020019
APA StyleSerrone, A., Cavallo, G., Fadda, G. L., Marzolla, A., Serrone, A., Migliore, L., Cavallo, G., & Rustichelli, C. (2026). Olfactory Function as a Candidate Endpoint of Type 2 (Th2) Inflammation: Translational Rationale from Humans to Dogs. Allergies, 6(2), 19. https://doi.org/10.3390/allergies6020019

