title: Pyrogenicity and cytokine-inducing properties of Streptococcus pyogenes superantigens: comparative study of streptococcal mitogenic exotoxin Z and pyrogenic exotoxin A.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Département de Microbiologie des Ecosystèmes, Institut Pasteur de Lille, France.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Müller-Alouf
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Proft
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Zollner
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gerlach
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Champagne
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Desreumaux
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fitting
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Geoffroy-Fauvet
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Alouf
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Cavaillon
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: 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