Staphylococcal enterotoxin B induces the expression of activation markers on murine memory T cells in the absence of proliferation or lymphokine secretion.
Superantigens have been used to study peripheral tolerance in CD4+ T cells. The superantigen SEB induces T cell anergy by promoting the differentiation of SEB-activated virgin T cells into anergic memory T cells. Memory T cells from SEB or antigen-primed mice do not proliferate when they are cultured with SEB. The present studies were performed to determine whether memory T cells fail to interact with SEB antigen-presenting cells or whether SEB promotes incomplete or negative signals in memory T cells. When murine virgin and memory T cells were separated on the basis of CD45RB expression and cultured with SEB-pulsed B cells, SEB induced the expression of CD25, which then mediated proliferation when IL-2 was added to the cultures. In addition, SEB promoted the expression of the CD40L, which is required for T helper cell function. Finally, PMA induced a costimulatory signal leading to the proliferation of these cells. Surprisingly, the agents, i.e., IL-2 and PMA, which induced TM cell proliferation in conjunction with SEB failed to induce lymphokine secretion. However, in the presence of IL-4 plus IL-5, the T memory cells induced the SEB-pulsed B cells to secrete IgM and IgG. These results suggest that memory T cells are not simply unresponsive to SEB but are actively anergized.
Lee
W T
WT
Laboratory of Immunology, Wadsworth Center for Laboratories and Research, Albany, NY 12201-2002, USA.
Thrush
G R
GR
Vitetta
E S
ES
D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D023201:CD40 Ligand; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017635:Clonal Anergy / Q000276:immunology*; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D018089:Superantigens / Q000276:immunology*; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology
D015415:Biomarkers; D004768:Enterotoxins; D008222:Lymphokines; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D018089:Superantigens; D023201:CD40 Ligand; C031818:enterotoxin B, staphylococcal; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate