title: Activation of human T cells by the superantigen Staphylococcus enterotoxin B: analysis on a cellular level.
abstract: Superantigens interact with and activate a sizeable fraction of T cells characterized by expression of specific V beta gene segments of their antigen receptor. The massive activation of T cells in an organism is considered responsible for clinical symptoms associated with superantigen-producing bacteria. Here we studied the in vitro activation of human T cells by the superantigen Staphylococcus Enterotoxin B on a cell by cell basis. Superantigen-reactive T cells were stained with a V beta 12-specific monoclonal antibody and analyzed in a cytofluorograph. Blast formation of SEB-reactive T cells occurs within 12 h and reaches a plateau after 24 h. Double-staining of V beta 12+ T cells with antibodies against different T cell activation or adhesion surface molecules revealed a time-dependent differential upregulation for CD2, CD11 = LFA-1, CD25, CD28, CD69, and HLA-DR. The expression of CD3, CD4 and CD5 was not influenced by the superantigen. The rapid phenotypic changes of superantigen reactive T cells in terms of marker expression and cell size could provide early tools in diagnosing diseases caused by superantigens.
authors.affiliation: Children's University Hospital, Department of Oncology/Hematology, Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dannecker
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Mahlknecht
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schultz
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Niethammer
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000276:immunology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology*; D018089:Superantigens / Q000276:immunology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D004768:Enterotoxins; D007376:Interleukin-2; D018089:Superantigens; C031818:enterotoxin B, staphylococcal