A wave of Thetis cells imparts tolerance to food antigens early in life
Vanja Cabric, Yollanda Edwirges Moreira Franco, Tyler Park, Blossom Akagbosu, Zihan Zhao, Yun Lo, Gayathri Shibu, Logan Fisher, Yoselin A. Paucar Iza, Christina S. Leslie, Chrysothemis C. Brown
Abstract
In the intestine, peripherally induced regulatory T (pT reg ) cells play an essential role in suppressing inflammatory responses to food proteins. However, the identity of the antigen-presenting cells that instruct food-specific pT reg cells is poorly understood. We found that a subset of Thetis cells, TC IV, is required for food-specific pT reg cell differentiation. TC IV were almost exclusively present within mesenteric lymph nodes, suggesting that their presence underlies the phenomenon of oral tolerance. A wave of TC IV differentiation in the periweaning period was associated with a window of opportunity for enhanced pT reg cell generation in response to food antigens. Our findings indicate that TC IV may represent a therapeutic target for the treatment of food-associated allergic and inflammatory diseases.