title: Prevention and reversal of superantigen-induced anergy by contact allergen exposure.
abstract: The superantigen Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) and the contact allergen 2,4-dinitrofluorbenzene (DNFB) both react with V beta 8+ T-cells delivering distinct signals. Pre-treatment with DNFB painted onto the same skin site where SEB was to be injected, prevented the induction of anergy in V beta + T-cells that was otherwise induced after SEB had been injected intradermally over a period of 2 weeks. Application of the irritant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) instead of DNFB did not exert this effect. Application of DNFB at a site distant from the site where SEB was injected resulted in a much weaker inhibitory influence on the induction of anergy by SEB. Established anergy of V beta 8+ T-cells (proliferative non-responsiveness to SEB in vitro that could be overcome by addition of exogenous interleukin 2 (IL-2)) could be largely reversed by repeated cutaneous exposure to DNFB painted to the site where SEB had been injected before. The moderate decrease of V beta 8+ T-cells normally induced by SEB-treatment was also partially prevented by DNFB pre-treatment. The data indicate the importance of the sequence of signals delivered to T cells and the plasticity of the responsiveness of this cell type.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Saloga
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Enk
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Spieles
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bellinghausen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Knop
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000485:Allergens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D003877:Dermatitis, Contact / Q000276:immunology*; D004139:Dinitrofluorobenzene / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000032:analysis; D018089:Superantigens / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D004768:Enterotoxins; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D018089:Superantigens; C031818:enterotoxin B, staphylococcal; D004139:Dinitrofluorobenzene