| Title | RORγt+ APCs require a distinct cis-regulatory element to instruct tolerance to dietary antigens. |
| Publication Type | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication | 2026 |
| Authors | Zhao J, Hao J, Chen J, Lyu M, Liu H, Li N, Song P, Wang W, Chu C, Sonnenberg GF, Guo X |
| Journal | Nat Commun |
| Volume | 17 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Date Published | 2026 Feb 21 |
| ISSN | 2041-1723 |
| Keywords | Animals, Antigen-Presenting Cells, Antigens, Core Binding Factor Alpha 3 Subunit, Diet, Female, Immune Tolerance, Intestinal Mucosa, Male, Mice, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Mice, Knockout, Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3, Regulatory Sequences, Nucleic Acid, T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory |
| Abstract | Oral tolerance represents a hallmark of intestinal mucosal immunity to prevent inflammatory responses to harmless natural antigens, such as dietary components or commensal organisms. According to recent studies, RORγt+ antigen-presenting cell (APC) contributes to intestinal homeostasis, including oral tolerance, through inducing microbiota- and dietary antigen-specific Tregs. Here we identify a cis transcriptional regulatory element that distinguishes RORγt+ APCs from other of RORγt+ cell types. This sequence within Rorc gene loci, OCR369 governs RORγt expression in ILC3s and other RORγt+ APCs, but not T cells, through interaction with RUNX3 and formation of chromatin loops. OCR369 deletion results in a significant reduction of RORγt+ APCs in mLN around the weaning period and ILC3s in mLN and intestines of adult mice, accompanied by a decrease in RORγt+ Tregs and spontaneous inflammation in the small intestine. Mechanistically, the reduction in RORγt+ APCs, including both DC-like cells and MHCII+ ILC3s, impairs the development of both dietary antigen-specific and microbiota-specific RORγt+ Tregs and results in the loss of oral tolerance, thereby increasing allergy susceptibility. Thus, our findings identify a specific regulatory mechanism for RORγt expression in RORγt+ APCs and underscore the pivotal role of these cell types in mediating oral tolerance and maintaining intestinal health. |
| DOI | 10.1038/s41467-026-69886-z |
| Alternate Journal | Nat Commun |
| PubMed ID | 41723158 |
| PubMed Central ID | PMC13036028 |
| Grant List | 32530036, 32170872, 82122030 and 31821003 / / National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) / Z210015 / / Natural Science Foundation of Beijing Municipality (Beijing Natural Science Foundation) / |
