title: In vitro stimulation of human lymphocytes by alpha, beta and delta toxins and toxoids of Staphylococcus aureus.
abstract: Alpha, beta and delta toxins of Staphylococcus aureus stimulate human peripheral blood lymphocytes to blastic transformation and formation of IgM, IgG and IgA. The toxins are efficient at concentrations that are not toxic for the cells in culture. A dose of a toxin suitable for stimulation is 100 ng/ml but a stimulation can be observed also at 10 ng/ml, in the case of Ig formation even at a concentration of 1 ng/ml. Toxoids are approximately as effective to elicit blastic transformation as the toxins themselves, their efficiency to stimulate Ig formation being somewhat lower but significant. Alpha and delta toxins and toxoids at the appropriate concentration appear to act as medium-strength polyclonal activators of lymphocytes. Beta toxin and its toxoid are weak polyclonal activators.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Special Medical Microbiology and Immunology, 1st Medical Faculty, Charles University, Prague, Czechoslovakia.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Prokesová
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Lochman
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: John
mesh_terms: D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D013108:Sphingomyelin Phosphodiesterase; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical
chemical_list: D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; C021091:staphylococcal alpha-toxin; C025971:staphylococcal delta toxin; D013108:Sphingomyelin Phosphodiesterase; C029878:hlb protein, Staphylococcus aureus