Major histocompatibility complex class I molecule serves as a ligand for presentation of the superantigen staphylococcal enterotoxin B to T cells.
Superantigens, such as staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), elicit a strong proliferative response in T cells when presented in the context of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules. We observed a similar T-cell response, when MHC class II-negative epidermal cell lines were employed as antigen-presenting cells. Immunoprecipitation studies indicated that the ligand to which SEB bound had a molecular mass of 46 kDa. Radiolabeled SEB could be immunoprecipitated from isolated membrane proteins on the SCC13 epidermal cell line with a monoclonal antibody directed against the MHC class I molecule, and transfection of the K-562 cell line with MHC class I molecules showed a 75% increased SEB-binding capacity compared with the nontransfected MHC class I- and class II-negative counterpart. In functional studies, antibodies to the MHC class I molecule inhibited T-cell proliferation by at least 50%. From these studies, we conclude that MHC class I molecules on malignant squamous cell carcinomas serve as ligands for SEB, which, given the appropriate costimulatory signals, is sufficient to allow for superantigen-induced T-cell proliferation.
Häffner
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AC
Department of Dermatology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
Zepter
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K
Elmets
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CA
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; D002460:Cell Line; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000276:immunology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000276:immunology; D004915:Leukemia, Erythroblastic, Acute; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D012878:Skin Neoplasms; D018089:Superantigens / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D004768:Enterotoxins; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D018089:Superantigens; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; C031818:enterotoxin B, staphylococcal