Sugar and arginine facilitate oral tolerance by ensuring the functionality of tolerogenic immune cell subsets in the intestine

Abstract

Although oral tolerance is a critical system in regulating allergic disorders, the mechanisms by which dietary factors regulate the induction and maintenance of oral tolerance remain unclear. To address this, we explored the differentiation and function of various immune cells in the intestinal immune system under fasting and ad libitum-fed conditions before oral ovalbumin (OVA) administration. Fasting mitigated OVA-specific Treg expansion, which is essential for oral tolerance induction. This abnormality mainly resulted from functional defects in the CX3CR1⁺ cells responsible for the uptake of luminal OVA and reduction of tolerogenic CD103⁺ dendritic cells. Eventually, fasting impaired the preventive effect of oral OVA administration on asthma and allergic rhinitis development. Specific food ingredients, namely carbohydrates and arginine, were indispensable for oral tolerance induction by activating glycolysis and mTOR signaling. Overall, prior food intake and nutritional signals are critical for maintaining immune homeostasis by inducing tolerance to ingested food antigens.

Keywords: CP: Immunology; CP: Metabolism; CX3CR1(+) cells; allergy; dendritic cells; fasting; food antigens; mTOR signaling; metabolic rewiring; nutrition; oral tolerance; regulatory T cells.