title: Bacterial superantigens in human disease: structure, function and diversity.
abstract: All bacterial superantigens use common structural strategies to bind to major histocompatibility complex class II receptors, while binding the T cell antigen receptor in different ways. Overstimulation of the immune response is responsible for the acute pathological effects, while reactivation of developmentally silenced T cells might result in autoimmune disease. Certain diseases might be controlled with superantigens or genetically attenuated vaccines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology and Molecular Biology, Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Disease, Frederick, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Ulrich
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bavari
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Olson
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D018089:Superantigens / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D018089:Superantigens