Distinct spatial organization governs oral mucosal immunity

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Oral Biology
• Microbiology

Background:

• Immune responses vary across different barrier tissues.
• Mechanisms of oral mucosa immune defense against microbiota and inflammation are not well understood.
• The oral mucosa presents a unique challenge due to its permeable epithelium and constant exposure.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create a multiomics spatial map of the oral mucosal microenvironment.
• To understand immune zonation and its preservation during inflammatory disease.
• To investigate the role of the stromal compartment in immune organization.

Main Methods:

• Multiomics spatial mapping of the oral mucosal microenvironment.
• Analysis of tissue-specific transcriptomes.
• Histological examination of immune cell organization.

Main Results:

• Identified remarkable immune zonation at the tooth interface, including neutrophils and antigen-presenting cell-lymphocyte aggregates.
• Observed preservation of immune organization even during inflammatory disease.
• Demonstrated expansion of inflammatory zones into immature tertiary lymphoid structures during disease, suggesting local antibody production.
• Highlighted the role of the stromal compartment in maintaining spatial immune organization.

Conclusions:

• The oral mucosa exhibits preserved immune zonation crucial for continuous protection of this vulnerable interface.
• Tissue-specific immune wiring is evident in the human oral mucosal barrier.
• Understanding this zonation provides insights into oral health and inflammatory disease.