title: Comparative effects of clindamycin and ampicillin on superantigenic activity of Streptococcus pyogenes.
abstract: We have tested the ability of Streptococcus pyogenes to produce streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin A (SPEA) and superantigenic activity in the presence of sub-inhibitory concentrations of ampicillin and clindamycin. After 6 h of culture, SPEA production by S. pyogenes was higher in broths containing ampicillin (715.7 +/- 296.4 pg/10(6) cfu) than in broths containing clindamycin (167.1 +/- 31.9 pg/10(6) cfu), a difference that was not significant (P = 0.25). Promitogenic activity of bacterial supernatants was also greater in ampicillin-treated cultures (467.5 +/- 17.2 ccpm/10(6) cfu) than in clindamycin-treated cultures (169.2 +/- 8.9 ccpm/10(6) cfu), a difference that was highly significant (P = 0.0001). The data support the use of clindamycin in the treatment of streptococcal toxic shock-like syndrome, in order to inhibit superantigen synthesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, London, UK.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sriskandan
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McKee
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cohen
mesh_terms: D000667:Ampicillin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002981:Clindamycin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005098:Exotoxins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010406:Penicillins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011749:Pyrogens / Q000378:metabolism*; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018089:Superantigens / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D005098:Exotoxins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010406:Penicillins; D011749:Pyrogens; C117980:SpeA protein, Streptococcus pyogenes; D018089:Superantigens; C027951:erythrogenic toxin; D002981:Clindamycin; D000667:Ampicillin