T cell response to staphylococcal superantigens by asymptomatic HIV-infected individuals exhibits selective changes in T cell receptor V beta-chain usage.
Recognition that the murine mammary tumor C-type retrovirus and the replication-defective murine leukemia virus have "superantigen" properties raises the specter that human immunodeficiency virus might also generate T cell impairment and destruction as a result of inherent superantigen properties. The observation that individuals with AIDS lack the expression of several T cell receptor V beta-chain genes lends support to this hypothesis. Staphylococcal exotoxins represent another class of superantigen with a similar ability to stimulate large numbers of T cells bearing specific T cell receptor V beta-chain types. To examine the hypothesis that T cells from HIV-infected individuals may be exposed to a superantigen during the infection process, we have compared the ability of T cells from asymptomatic HIV-infected donors and healthy donors to respond to stimulation with several known staphylococcal exotoxin superantigens. Following in vitro stimulation with staphylococcal enterotoxin D and staphylococcal enterotoxin E, asymptomatic HIV-infected individuals responded with a significantly different T cell receptor V beta-chain usage to that observed for healthy individuals. This skewed V beta-chain usage is likely to reflect preferential conditioning of T cells bearing specific V beta-chains as a result of HIV infection, supporting the hypothesis of superantigen involvement early in the course of infection.
Bisset
L R
LR
Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland.
Opravil
M
M
Ludwig
E
E
Fierz
W
W
D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000276:immunology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000378:metabolism*; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000276:immunology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D004768:Enterotoxins; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; C049463:enterotoxin E, Staphylococcal; C019368:enterotoxin D, Staphylococcal