title: Selective expansion of T cells expressing V beta 2 in toxic shock syndrome.
abstract: Infection with Staphylococcus aureus and the production of toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of toxic shock syndrome. Previous in vitro studies have demonstrated that TSST-1 is a powerful but selective stimulator of human T cells, and that the majority of activated cells express the TCR V beta 2 gene segment. We therefore studied patients with toxic shock syndrome using a modification of the PCR to determine if expansion of V beta 2+ T cells is a marker of the in vivo disease process. Five of eight patients studied demonstrated markedly elevated levels of circulating V beta 2+ T cells, whereas none showed significantly elevated levels of T cells expressing other V beta gene segments. The results suggest that toxin-mediated T cell activation, which involves a large fraction of the human T cell repertoire, may be critical in the pathogenesis of this disease.
authors.affiliation: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Denver.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Lafferty
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Clements
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Todd
authors.forename: E W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Gelfand
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kappler
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marrack
authors.forename: B L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Kotzin
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000032:analysis; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D006801:Humans; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region / Q000235:genetics*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D012016:Reference Values; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000276:immunology*; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D007135:Immunoglobulin Variable Region; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell