Interactions between staphylococcal superantigens and human T-cell clones are predominantly but not exclusively governed by their T-cell receptor V beta usage.
Staphylococcal exotoxins (SE) are potent mitogens for human and murine T cells. Extensive studies in mice have demonstrated strict correlations between T-cell responses to individual SE and TCR V beta expression. Studies examining the TCR V beta expression of SE-activated human peripheral blood T cells also suggest close correlations, whereas the data reported using human T-cell clones (TCC) are conflicting. We have determined the cDNA TCRB sequences of 52 different human TCC, expressing 35 different T-cell receptor V beta (TCRBV)-encoded sequences. The TCC were tested in proliferative assays using nine different SE. Most of these TCC express V beta s which have not been tested previously in studies examining interaction between TCC and SE. The SE stimulated a variable fraction (1/48-31/52) of the TCC. The ability of a given SE to stimulate TCC in many cases correlated with V beta expression, but several exceptions were found. With one possible exception, comparisons between deduced amino-acid sequences within the 'fourth hypervariable region' of the TCR beta chain and SE responsiveness did not reveal potential SE binding motifs. We conclude that the reactivity of T cells towards SE is governed mainly by their TCR V beta expression. However, the authors' results also suggest that the interaction between SE and human T cells may involve elements unidentified as yet which are in addition to the beta chain of the TCR.
Lundin
K E
KE
Institute of Transplantation Immunology, National Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
Brinchmann
J E
JE
Hansen
T
T
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000276:immunology; D002999:Clone Cells / Q000276:immunology; D005098:Exotoxins / Q000276:immunology; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000235:genetics; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000276:immunology*; D018089:Superantigens; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D005098:Exotoxins; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D018089:Superantigens