The cyanide-metabolizing enzyme rhodanese in rat nasal respiratory and olfactory mucosa.

Hydrogen cyanide is a commonly occurring and highly toxic air pollutant. Inhalation of hydrogen cyanide would expose the nasal tissues to its toxic affects unless a detoxicating mechanism were available. Experiments with rat nasal tissues showed that the cyanide-metabolizing enzyme, rhodanese, is present in high concentrations, particularly in the olfactory region. The olfactory tissues had nearly 7-fold more rhodanese on a per mg mitochondrial protein basis than did the liver. These experiments show that nasal metabolism of cyanide may have an important influence on the toxicity of inhaled cyanide and cyanogenic materials.