Intranasally induced immunological tolerance is determined by characteristics of the draining lymph nodes: Studies with OVA and human cartilage gp-39

Mucosal tolerance is a naturally occurring immunological phenomenon that pr events harmful inflammatory responses to ingested or inhaled environmental, predominantly nondangerous, Ags, The nasal mucosa is an extremely efficien t compartment in the induction of immunological tolerance which can be expl oited in Ag-specific treatment of autoimmune disease. With the use of a mod el Ag (OVA) and an Ag implicated in the autoimmune disease rheumatoid arthr itis (human cartilage gp-39), we here show in a mouse model that the superf icial cervical and internal jugular lymph nodes that drain the nasal mucosa are instrumental in the induction of tolerance. Removal of these lymph nod es abrogates tolerance induction, which can be restored by transplantation of superficial cervical lymph nodes, but not of peripheral lymph nodes. The results indicate that lymph nodes that directly drain the nasal mucosa con stitute a unique microenvironment which favors the induction of immunologic al tolerance.