Distinct spatial organization governs oral mucosal immunity

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.