title: Zinc regulates the function of two superantigens.
abstract: Staphylococcal enterotoxins bind with high affinity to class II major histocompatibility complex proteins and subsequently stimulate large numbers of T cells via the V beta portion of the T-cell receptor. Binding of enterotoxin A and enterotoxin E to HLA-DR was completely abolished by low levels of EDTA, whereas binding of toxic shock toxin was unaffected. Addition of Zn2+ to as little as 2 microM excess over EDTA completely reconstituted binding, but Ca2+, Mg2+, Cu2+, Fe2+, and Mn2+ had no effect. The dissociation constant (Kd) of 65Zn2+ binding to a single site on purified enterotoxin A was 2 microM, and addition of purified HLA-DR1 did not alter the Kd, indicating that the binding site was exclusive to enterotoxin A. In the presence of saturating levels of zinc the Kd for enterotoxin A binding to purified HLA-DR1 was 25 nM. Thus, zinc binding is an essential first step in the formation of the major histocompatibility complex binding domain of at least two bacterial superantigens. Given the measured Kd of zinc binding to enterotoxin A, serum levels of free zinc (0.2-1.0 microM) may well regulate the toxic sequelae by these two superantigens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Auckland Medical School, New Zealand.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Fraser
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Urban
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Strominger
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Robinson
mesh_terms: D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002413:Cations, Divalent; D002460:Cell Line; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000378:metabolism*; D015798:HLA-DR1 Antigen / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008223:Lymphoma; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex; D011485:Protein Binding; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000378:metabolism*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus; D015032:Zinc / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D002413:Cations, Divalent; D004768:Enterotoxins; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D015798:HLA-DR1 Antigen; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D015032:Zinc