Superantigen reactivity of gamma delta T cell clones isolated from patients with multiple sclerosis and controls.
gamma delta T cells have been implicated as playing a role in the demyelinating processes of multiple sclerosis (MS). However, the nature of the ligands which lead to activation and accumulation of gamma delta T cells in the brain lesions remains unknown. This study was undertaken to examine whether gamma delta T cells derived from cerebrospinal fluid and blood of MS patients could be stimulated by bacterial superantigens: staphylococcal enterotoxins A and B and toxic shock syndrome toxin-1. A panel of 16 gamma delta T cell clones isolated from MS patients and controls was found to react with the superantigens used at a nanogram range and displayed specific cytotoxic activity toward target cells pulsed with the corresponding superantigens. The responses of the gamma delta T cell clones did not require MHC-matched accessory cells and were not blocked by antibodies to the MHC molecules, suggesting a non-MHC restricted interaction. The superantigen reactivity was associated with both V delta 2+/V gamma 2+ and V delta 1+/V gamma 1+ subsets, reportedly found in the MS lesions. Our data suggest an alternative pathway which may account for gamma delta T cell activation in MS.
D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D002469:Cell Separation; D002999:Clone Cells; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000276:immunology; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II / Q000276:immunology; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000235:genetics; D008285:Major Histocompatibility Complex / Q000235:genetics; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology*; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000276:immunology; D018089:Superantigens / Q000276:immunology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*
D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004768:Enterotoxins; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D018089:Superantigens; C030107:enterotoxin F, Staphylococcal; C026066:enterotoxin A, Staphylococcal; C031818:enterotoxin B, staphylococcal