title: Clostridium difficile lacks detectable superantigen activity.
abstract: Clostridium difficile colitis causes striking leukocytosis. We examined the possibility that toxins A or B, or other nontoxin products of C. difficile, act as superantigens, thereby stimulating leukocytosis. Our results failed to show major histocompatibility complex class II-dependent T lymphocyte proliferation, the hallmark of superantigen activity. Elevated white blood cell counts in C. difficile colitis are probably due to increased generation of cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) or IL-8.
authors.affiliation: Michael E. Debakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Houston, Texas 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wanahita
authors.forename: Beckley
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Hamill
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Goldsmith
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Rodgers
authors.forename: Richard G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Cook
authors.forename: James G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Lamphear
authors.forename: Daniel M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Musher
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D001427:Bacterial Toxins / Q000276:immunology*; D016360:Clostridioides difficile / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004761:Enterocolitis, Pseudomembranous / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000276:immunology; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000276:immunology; D007964:Leukocytosis / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D051379:Mice; D018089:Superantigens / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001427:Bacterial Toxins; D004768:Enterotoxins; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016209:Interleukin-8; D018089:Superantigens; C041348:tcdA protein, Clostridium difficile; C031815:toxB protein, Clostridium difficile