Project description:The objectives of this study were to establish a microbiome profile for oral epithelial dysplasia using archival lesion swab samples to characterize the community variations and the functional potential of the microbiome using 16S rRNA gene sequencing
Project description:Tolerance to dietary antigens is critical to avoid deleterious type 2 immune responses resulting in food allergy (FA) and anaphylaxis. However, the mechanisms resulting in both the maintenance and failure of tolerance to food antigens is poorly understood. Here we demonstrate that the goblet cell-derived resistin-like molecule beta (RELMb) is a critical regulator of oral tolerance. We find that RELMb is abundant in serum in both food allergic patients and mouse models of FA. Deletion of RELMβ protects mice from FA, development of food antigen specific IgE and anaphylaxis. RELMb disrupts food tolerance through modulation of the gut microbiome by suppressing gut Lactobacilli. Tolerance is maintained via local production of indole derivatives driving FA protective RORgt+ regulatory T (Treg) cells via activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). RELMb antagonism in the peri-weaning period restored oral tolerance and protected genetically prone offspring from developing FA later in life. Together, our data identify RELMb as mediating both a novel gut immune-epithelial circuit regulating tolerance to food antigens, a new mode of innate control of antigen specific adaptive immunity via microbiome editing and targetable candidates in this circuit for prevention and treatment of FA.
