title: In vivo responses of CD4+ and CD8+ cells to bacterial superantigens.
abstract: Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) is a bacterial superantigen that binds to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules and specifically activates T cells bearing V beta 8 T cell receptor domains. We have compared several aspects of the response of CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subsets to SEB in vivo. V beta 8+ cells in both subsets proliferated to a similar extent upon SEB injection. Furthermore, mRNA for interferon-gamma was induced in both subsets with similar kinetics and SEB dose-response. Finally CD8+ (but not CD4+) T cells from SEB-injected mice exhibited SEB-specific lysis of MHC class II-bearing target cells. Collectively, these data indicate that the CD4: MHC class II interaction confers no detectable selective advantage to CD4+ cells in the in vivo response to SEB. The observed effector functions of both subsets may contribute to SEB-induced immunopathology.
authors.affiliation: Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Lausanne Branch, Epalinges, Switzerland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Herrmann
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baschieri
authors.forename: R K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Lees
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: MacDonald
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D016827:CD8 Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000633:toxicity; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D004768:Enterotoxins; D008222:Lymphokines; C031818:enterotoxin B, staphylococcal