title: Staphylococcal enterotoxin superantigens.
abstract: Staphylococcal enterotoxins (SE) are a family of structurally related proteins that are produced by Staphylococcus aureus. They play a role in the pathogenesis of food poisoning and are the most potent activators of T lymphocytes known. The receptors for SE on antigen-presenting cells are major histocompatibility complex class II molecules. Recent studies have shown that a complex of SE and major histocompatibility complex class II molecules is required for binding to the variable region of the T cell antigen receptor beta-chain. SE mitogenic activity is dependent on induction of interleukin 2, which may be intimately involved in the mechanism of SE toxicity. The minor lymphocyte-stimulating "endogenous" self-superantigen has recently been shown to be a retroviral gene product, so that this too is apparently a microbial superantigen. An understanding of the mechanism of action of these microbial superantigens has implications for normal and pathological immune functions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611.
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Pontzer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000502:physiology* / Q000633:toxicity; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology* / Q000633:toxicity; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D016747:Minor Lymphocyte Stimulatory Antigens / Q000502:physiology; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000502:physiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D004768:Enterotoxins; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D016747:Minor Lymphocyte Stimulatory Antigens; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell