美国国立卫生研究院Niki M. Moutsopoulos团队的一项最新研究探明了不同的空间组织支配着口腔黏膜免疫。2026年2月9日出版的《自然—免疫学》发表了这项成果。

课题组人员编制了这种暴露的粘膜微环境的多组学空间图，并揭示了即使在炎症性疾病期间也保留的显着的免疫带组织。在牙齿界面，课题组人员发现了一个由中性粒细胞层和抗原呈递细胞-淋巴细胞聚集区强调的动态上皮。在疾病期间，炎症区扩大并组织成不成熟的三级淋巴结构，提示局部产生抗体。位置特异性转录组支持间质室在免疫空间组织中的作用。这种保留的免疫分区满足了持续保护这一脆弱界面的需求，并表明人类口腔粘膜屏障上存在独特的组织特异性免疫线路。

研究人员表示，在屏障表面的免疫反应是量身定制的每个组织的暴露。在口腔黏膜中，通透性上皮与多种微生物群共存并在炎症病理过程中保持完整性的机制尚不清楚。

附：英文原文

Title: Distinct spatial organization governs oral mucosal immunity

Author: Theofilou, Vasileios I., Fraser, David, Kanasi, Eleni, Brenchley, Laurie, Greenwell-Wild, Teresa, Adade, Emmanuel E., Valm, Alex M., Douagi, Iyadh, Belkaid, Yasmine, Tran, Duy T., Williams, Drake W., Moutsopoulos, Niki M.

Issue&Volume: 2026-02-09

Abstract: Immune responsiveness at barrier surfaces is tailored to the exposures of each tissue. In the oral mucosa, mechanisms by which a permeable epithelium coexists with diverse microbiota and maintains integrity during inflammatory pathology remain poorly understood. We compile a multiomics spatial map of this exposed mucosal microenvironment and uncover remarkable immune zonation with organization that is preserved even during inflammatory disease. At the tooth interface, we identify a dynamic epithelium underlined by a layer of neutrophils and a zone of antigen-presenting cell–lymphocyte aggregates. During disease, inflammatory zones expand and organize into immature tertiary lymphoid structures, suggesting local antibody production. Location-specific transcriptomes support a role for the stromal compartment in the spatial organization of immunity. This preserved immune zonation meets the demands for continuous protection of this vulnerable interface and suggests unique tissue-specific wiring of immunity at the human oral mucosal barrier.

DOI: 10.1038/s41590-025-02398-y

Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41590-025-02398-y