Bacterial superantigens induce the proliferation of resting gamma/delta receptor bearing T cells.
We observe that highly purified (> or = 97% pure) gamma/delta T cells isolated from normal peripheral blood proliferate to bacterial toxin supperantigens SEA, SEB, SED, and TSST-1. MHC class II molecules were necessary and sufficient for the recognition of superantigens by gamma/delta T cells because MHC Class II deficient B cell line failed to support the proliferation of gamma/delta T cells to toxins and murine L cells transfected with HLA-DR but not untransfected cells were capable of presenting toxins to gamma/delta T cells. As in the case with alpha/beta T cells, bacterial superantigens synergized with PMA in causing the proliferation of purified gamma/delta T cells rigorously depleted of accessory cells. Together, our findings suggest that gamma/delta T cells recognize and respond to bacterial superantigens in a manner similar to alpha/beta T cells.
Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
N
N
Ramesh
A
A
Horner
D
D
Ahern
R S
RS
Geha
D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D002469:Cell Separation; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000276:immunology; D006681:HLA-D Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007739:L Cells; D037102:Lectins / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000032:analysis*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000276:immunology*; D018089:Superantigens / Q000276:immunology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology; D014162:Transfection
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004768:Enterotoxins; D006681:HLA-D Antigens; D037102:Lectins; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D018089:Superantigens; C030107:enterotoxin F, Staphylococcal; C019368:enterotoxin D, Staphylococcal; C026066:enterotoxin A, Staphylococcal; C031818:enterotoxin B, staphylococcal; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate