title: Synovial fibroblasts as accessory cells for staphylococcal enterotoxin-mediated T-cell activation.
abstract: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is thought to be the result of T-cell-mediated autoimmune phenomena. So far, a critical autoantigen has not been identified. Recently, superantigens have been implied in the pathogenesis of RA. In the present study it was tested whether major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II-positive synovial fibroblast cells (SFC) function as superantigen-presenting cells. SFC were stimulated with interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) to express class II antigens; then they were cultivated in the presence of T cells with or without staphylococcal enterotoxins (SE). T-cell activation was measured as proliferation and interleukin-2 (IL-2) production. Depending on the dose and type of SE, activation of T-cell clones and also of peripheral T cells was seen. T-cell activation was inhibited by antibodies to MHC class II antigens and also by antibodies to intracellular adhesion molecule type-1 (ICAM-1). The data suggest that class II-positive SFC have the capacity to serve as accessory cells for superantigen-mediated T-cell activation. Thus SFC may participate in the propagation of a T-cell dependent immune response.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Immunologie, Universität Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kraft
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Filsinger
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Krämer
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kabelitz
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Hänsch
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schoels
mesh_terms: D000938:Antigen-Presenting Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000276:immunology; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000276:immunology*; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000276:immunology; D006681:HLA-D Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000276:immunology; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000276:immunology*; D018089:Superantigens / Q000276:immunology; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D004768:Enterotoxins; D006681:HLA-D Antigens; D007376:Interleukin-2; D018089:Superantigens; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1