title: Superantigens and chronic rhinosinusitis: skewing of T-cell receptor V beta-distributions in polyp-derived CD4+ and CD8+ T cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent studies have suggested that Staphylococcus aureus secrete superantigenic toxins that play a role in the etiology of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP). Twenty S. aureus superantigens (SAg's) have been identified, each of which bind the V beta-region of the T-cell receptor (TCR) outside the peptide-binding site. Approximately 50 distinct V beta-domains exist in the human repertoire, and distinct SAg's will bind only particular domains generating a pattern of V beta-enrichment in lymphocytes dependent on the binding characteristics of a given toxin. The aim of this study was to analyze the pattern of V beta-expression in polyp-derived lymphocytes from CRSwNP patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Polyps were harvested from 20 patients with CRSwNP and 3 patients with antrochoanal polyps. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the V beta-repertoire of polyp-derived CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes. Data were analyzed in light of the known skewing associated with SAg exposure in vivo and in vitro. Skewing was defined as a percentage of V beta-expression >2 SD of that seen in normal blood.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven of 20 subjects exhibited skewing in V beta-domains with strong associations with S. aureus SAg's. The three antrochoanal polyps failed to show any significant V beta-skewing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study establishes evidence of S. aureus SAg-T-cell interactions in polyp lymphocytes of 35% of CRSwNP patients. Although these results are consistent with intranasal exposure of polyp lymphocytes to SAg's, additional study is necessary to establish the role of these toxins in disease pathogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA. dbcentmd@northwestern.edu
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Conley
authors.forename: Anju
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tripathi
authors.forename: Kristin A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Seiberling
authors.forename: Robert P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Schleimer
authors.forename: Lydia A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Mary C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Paniagua
authors.forename: Leslie C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Grammer
authors.forename: Robert C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Kern
mesh_terms: D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D009298:Nasal Polyps / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000032:analysis*; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000276:immunology; D018089:Superantigens / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; D018089:Superantigens