title: Suppression of mouse skin allograft rejection by protein A-Yersiniae V antigen fusion peptide.
abstract: V antigen is an established virulence factor of Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of bubonic plague. Injection of homogenous staphylococcal protein A-V antigen fusion peptide into mice was previously found to suppress tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interferon-gamma necessary for generation of protective granulomas. Here, we show that BALB/c mice receiving daily intraperitoneal injections of 100 microg of control protein A initiated rejection of C57BL/6 mouse tail skin grafts after 6.2+/-1.1 days. This time doubled to 12.2+/-1.4 days upon similar administration of protein A-V antigen fusion peptide (P<0.001); times of total allograft retention remained constant. This finding indicates that V antigen can postpone inflammation known to be associated with recognition and destruction of foreign tissue by T lymphocytes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824-1101, USA.
authors.forename: V L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Motin
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kutas
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Brubaker
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000517:prevention & control; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D013205:Staphylococcal Protein A / Q000235:genetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; C043908:LcrV protein, Yersinia; D052899:Pore Forming Cytotoxic Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D013205:Staphylococcal Protein A