Staphylococcal enterotoxin B-induced T-cell anergy is mediated by regulatory T cells.
Naive T cells mount a vigorous proliferative response to superantigen (SAg) stimulation in vivo. The proliferative response is followed by a partial deletion of responder T cells. Part of the deletion process has recently been attributed to the action of regulatory cytotoxic T cells that recognize major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I-associated antigen receptor determinants on the target cell surface. Responder T cells that survived the SAg response were found to be incapable of generating a secondary proliferative response to a SAg challenge. We show here that this 'anergy' is enforced by CD8-positive regulatory suppressive T cells. These regulatory cells inhibit cell division of preactivated T cells but not the Sag response of naive T cells. Regulatory T cells are not generated in the presence of cyclosporin A and, once activated, become inactivated or deleted when restimulated in the presence of this immunosuppressive drug.
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, New York Medical College, Valhalla 10595, USA.
Z Q
ZQ
Wang
T
T
Orlikowsky
A
A
Dudhane
V
V
Trejo
G E
GE
Dannecker
B
B
Pernis
M K
MK
Hoffmann
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017635:Clonal Anergy; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000276:immunology*; D018089:Superantigens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*
D004768:Enterotoxins; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D018089:Superantigens; C031818:enterotoxin B, staphylococcal; D016572:Cyclosporine