title: Activation of human lymphocytes in vitro by membrane-damaging toxins from Staphylococcus aureus.
abstract: Purified staphylococcal alpha-, gamma-, and delta-toxin were shown to cause activation of lymphoid cells from adult human donors and of cord cells in vitro as measured by [14C]thymidine incorporation after 7 days of incubation. T cell-enriched and T cell-depleted lymphocyte suspensions were activated in a similar fashion. Beta-toxin, on the other hand, exerted no valid stimulation of the various lymphocyte preparations. The lymphocyte-activating properties of alpha- and gamma-toxin were shown to be independent of their hemolytic capacity. The results probably reflect unspecific mitogen effects, but a component of specific reactivity cannot be excluded. We suggest that the unspecific triggering of lymphocytes in vitro is caused by surface-active properties of the toxins.
mesh_terms: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000494:pharmacology; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D055666:Lipopeptides; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic; D013108:Sphingomyelin Phosphodiesterase; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D005227:Fatty Acids; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; D055666:Lipopeptides; D010456:Peptides, Cyclic; C021091:staphylococcal alpha-toxin; C025971:staphylococcal delta toxin; C009365:surfactin peptide; D013108:Sphingomyelin Phosphodiesterase; C029878:hlb protein, Staphylococcus aureus