Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxins induce histamine and leukotriene release in patients with atopic eczema.
BACKGROUND
Chronic skin colonization with Staphylococcus aureus is a characteristic feature of atopic eczema (AE), and about 60% of S. aureus strains isolated from the skin of patients with AE secrete enterotoxins. Furthermore, IgE antibodies to S. aureus enterotoxins have been identified in 78% of patients with AE.


OBJECTIVE
To examine the S. aureus enterotoxin-induced histamine and leukotriene release of basophils from patients with AE.


METHODS
Peripheral blood basophils from patients with AE were stimulated with the staphylococcal enterotoxins A, B, D, E and toxic shock syndrome toxin-1. Additionally, priming experiments were performed with interleukin (IL)-3, IL-8 and granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor followed by stimulation with S. aureus enterotoxins.


RESULTS
In patients with AE, basophils secreted significantly higher amounts of histamine and leukotriene C4 (LTC4) than in healthy controls. The priming experiments showed additional histamine and LTC4 release in the group of AE patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Histamine and leukotriene generation from atopic basophils stimulated with staphylococcal enterotoxins may indicate a role for these toxins as possible allergens in at least a subgroup of patients with AE.
Wehner
J
J
Department of Dermatology and Allergology, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.
Neuber
K
K
D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001491:Basophils / Q000502:physiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005098:Exotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000502:physiology; D006636:Histamine Release / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007377:Interleukin-3 / Q000276:immunology; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000276:immunology; D017997:Leukotriene C4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D013205:Staphylococcal Protein A / Q000494:pharmacology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000276:immunology*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D018089:Superantigens
D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004768:Enterotoxins; D005098:Exotoxins; D007377:Interleukin-3; D016209:Interleukin-8; D013205:Staphylococcal Protein A; C034933:Staphylococcal pyrogenic exotoxin C; D018089:Superantigens; C030107:enterotoxin F, Staphylococcal; C091239:staphylococcal pyrogenic exotoxin type B; D017997:Leukotriene C4; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor