title: Selective depletion of V beta-bearing T cells in patients with severe invasive group A streptococcal infections and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome. Ontario Streptococcal Study Project.
abstract: The V beta repertoire of T cells of patients with gram-positive group A streptococcal (GAS) and non-GAS infections was analyzed to seek evidence for the role of superantigens in streptococcal toxic shock syndrome. No evidence of V beta overexpression but a consistent pattern of depletion of V beta 1, V beta 5.1, and V beta 12 was observed in patients with severe GAS infections. This pattern of V beta depletion was not observed in patients with nonsevere GAS infections or with severe non-GAS gram-positive infections. T cells from patients with severe GAS infections showed evidence of apoptosis; no apoptosis was found when there was no evidence of V beta depletion. There was no correlation with streptococcal M or T serotype or known spe genes. The depletion of specific V beta-bearing T cells in patients with severe GAS infections supports the role of a superantigen in these infections. The in vivo pattern of V beta specificity implicates a novel superantigen(s) in this disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Tennessee.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Watanabe-Ohnishi
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Low
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McGeer
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Schlievert
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Newton
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kreiswirth
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kotb
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D017209:Apoptosis; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D001483:Base Sequence; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005098:Exotoxins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000032:analysis*; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D018089:Superantigens / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D005098:Exotoxins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; C117980:SpeA protein, Streptococcus pyogenes; D018089:Superantigens; C027951:erythrogenic toxin; C014689:streptococcal M protein