beta-ionone

β-ionone is a volatile apocarotenoid metabolite derived from the oxidative cleavage of β-carotene, primarily by the enzyme β-carotene oxygenase-2 (BCO2). Research, particularly from Columbia University, has identified β-ionone as an endogenous regulator of airway physiology. It acts as an agonist for opsin-3 (OPN3) expressed in airway smooth muscle cells. Activation of OPN3 by β-ionone leads to increased intracellular cAMP levels, which subsequently reduces airway smooth muscle contractility (bronchodilation). This metabolic axis suggests a potential role for β-ionone or its pathways in managing respiratory conditions characterized by airway hyperresponsiveness.

Other names

β-ionone4-(2,6,6-trimethyl-1-cyclohexen-1-yl)-3-buten-2-one