Gut microbiota contributes to the maintenance of sublingually induced regulatory T cells and tolerance in mice.

BACKGROUND

Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) involves the induction of allergen-specific regulatory T (Treg) cells in the oral mucosa-draining submandibular lymph nodes (LNs). However, their subsequent maintenance remains unclear, including the involvement of the gut microbiota. We aimed to investigate where and how SLIT-induced Treg cells are maintained to ensure tolerance to allergens.

METHODS

We used a mouse model of prophylactic SLIT with ovalbumin as the allergen. SLIT-induced tolerance was assessed by suppressing delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses. The distribution of SLIT-induced Treg cells was determined based on their ability to suppress the DTH response upon adoptive transfer. The involvement of LNs and gut microbiota was assessed by the surgical removal of LNs and antibiotic depletion of the gut microbiota, respectively.

RESULTS

Suppression of DTH by SLIT was impaired by surgical removal of submandibular LNs prior to SLIT. Functional SLIT-induced Treg cells were detected in submandibular LNs and gut-draining mesenteric LNs, however, not in skin-draining LNs or the spleen. Intriguingly, the surgical removal of mesenteric LNs alone after SLIT was sufficient to abolish the suppressive effect of SLIT. Gut microbiota depletion by antibiotic treatment after SLIT also abolished the suppressive effect of SLIT and impaired the maintenance of functional SLIT-induced Treg cells in mesenteric LNs.

CONCLUSIONS

Functional SLIT-induced Treg cells were maintained in mesenteric LNs in a gut microbiota-dependent manner. Thus, this study revealed a previously unrecognized role of the gut microbiota in SLIT and provided a rationale for targeting the gut environment to improve the efficacy and prolong the maintenance of SLIT.