Superantigen-mediated deletion of specific T cell receptor V beta subsets in the SCID-hu Thy/Liv mouse is induced by staphylococcal enterotoxin B, but not HIV-1.
Infection by HIV-1 has been associated with perturbations in the TCR V beta repertoire, suggesting the involvement of a superantigen. Among the hallmarks of superantigens is the capacity to delete T cells bearing specific TCR V beta families in the developing thymus. To verify the presence of a superantigen in HIV-1, we analyzed the SCID-hu Thy/Liv TCR V beta repertoire within CD4+CD8+, CD4+CD8-, or CD4-CD8+ thymocytes subsets by flow cytometry using a panel of Abs recognizing about 60% of the TCR repertoire following injection of SEB or infection by two different HIV-1 isolates. Seven days following SEB injection, thymocyte subsets bearing TCR V beta 3, V beta 12, V beta 17, and V beta 20, but not V beta 5 or V beta 8 , were deleted relative to mock-injected mice. In contrast, no changes were observed in the TCR V beta repertoire in CD4+CD8+, CD4+CD8-, or CD4-CD8+ thymocyte subsets after infection with HIV-1. The T cell depletion caused by HIV-1 infection is most likely not mediated by an HIV-encoded superantigen.
Komanduri
K V
KV
Gladstone Institute of Virology and Immunology, San Francisco, CA 94141, USA.
Salha
M D
MD
Sékaly
R P
RP
McCune
J M
JM
D000818:Animals; D002678:Chimera; D017637:Clonal Deletion / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology*; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D016513:Mice, SCID; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000032:analysis* / Q000276:immunology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000276:immunology*; D018089:Superantigens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology
D004768:Enterotoxins; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D018089:Superantigens; C031818:enterotoxin B, staphylococcal