Pyrogenicity and cytokine-inducing properties of Streptococcus pyogenes superantigens: comparative study of streptococcal mitogenic exotoxin Z and pyrogenic exotoxin A.
Streptococcal mitogenic exotoxin Z (SMEZ), a superantigen derived from Streptococcus pyogenes, provoked expansion of human lymphocytes expressing the Vbeta 2, 4, 7 and 8 motifs of T-cell receptor. SMEZ was pyrogenic in rabbits and stimulated the expression of the T-cell activation markers CD69 and cutaneous lymphocyte-associated antigen. A variety of cytokines was released by human mononuclear leukocytes stimulated with SMEZ, which was 10-fold more active than streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin A. Th2-derived cytokines were elicited only by superantigens and not by streptococcal cells.
Müller-Alouf
H
H
Département de Microbiologie des Ecosystèmes, Institut Pasteur de Lille, France.
Proft
T
T
Zollner
T M
TM
Gerlach
D
D
Champagne
E
E
Desreumaux
P
P
Fitting
C
C
Geoffroy-Fauvet
C
C
Alouf
J E
JE
Cavaillon
J M
JM
D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D005098:Exotoxins / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011749:Pyrogens / Q000276:immunology*; D011817:Rabbits; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D018089:Superantigens / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D016207:Cytokines; D005098:Exotoxins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011749:Pyrogens; C117980:SpeA protein, Streptococcus pyogenes; D018089:Superantigens; C027951:erythrogenic toxin; C107894:mitogenic exotoxin Z protein, Streptococcus