Salivary glands are a major component of the mucosal immune system that confer adaptive immunity to mucosal pathogens. As previously demonstrated, immunization of the submandibular gland with tissue cultureāderived murine cytomegalovirus (tcMCMV) or replicationādeficient adenoviruses expressing individual murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) genes protected mice against a lethal MCMV challenge. Here, we report that salivary gland inoculation of BALB/cByJ mice with tcMCMV or recombinant adenoviruses differentially activates T helper (Th)1, ā2, and ā17 cells in the salivary glands vs. the associated lymph nodes. After inoculation with tcMCMV, lymphocytes from the submandibular gland preferentially express the transcription factor Tācellāspecific Tābox transcription factor (Tābet), which controls the expression of the hallmark Th1 cytokine, IFNāĪ³. Lymphocytes from the periglandular lymph nodes (PGLNs) express both Tābet and GATAābinding protein 3 (GATA3), which promotes the secretion of ILā4, ā5, and ā10 from Th2 cells. In contrast, after inoculation with replicationādeficient adenoviruses, lymphocytes from the submandibular gland express Tābet, GAT A3, and RARārelated orphan receptor Ī³, thymusāspecific isoform (ROR/Ī³t) (required for differentiation of Th17 cells) and forkhead box P3 (Foxp3) (required for the differentiation of regulatory T cells). Lymphocytes from the PGLNs were not activated. The differential induction of Th responses in the salivary gland vs. the PGLNs after inoculation with attenuated virus vs. a nominal protein antigen supports the use of the salivary as an alternative mucosal route for administering vaccines.āLiu, G., Zhang, F., Wang, R., London, S. D., London, L. Salivary gland immunization via Wharton's duct activates differential Tācell responses within the salivary gland immune system. FASEB J. 33, 6011ā6022 (2019). http://www.fasebj.org