title: Cutting edge: Evidence of direct TCR alpha-chain interaction with superantigen.
abstract: Superantigens are known to activate a large number of T cells. The SAg is presented by MHC class II on the APC and its classical feature is that it recognizes the variable region of the beta-chain of the TCR. In this article, we report, by direct binding studies, that staphylococcal enterotoxin (SE) H (SEH), a bacterial SAg secreted by Staphylococcus aureus, instead recognizes the variable alpha-chain (TRAV27) of TCR. Furthermore, we show that different SAgs (e.g., SEH and SEA) can simultaneously bind to one TCR by binding the alpha-chain and the beta-chain, respectively. Theoretical three-dimensional models of the penta complexes are presented. Hence, these findings open up a new dimension of the biology of the staphylococcal enterotoxins.
authors: Avidex Limited, Abingdon, Oxon, United Kingdom.
authors: Nick
authors: N
authors: Pumphrey
authors: Annelise
authors: A
authors: Vuidepot
authors: Bent
authors: B
authors: Jakobsen
authors: Göran
authors: G
authors: Forsberg
authors: Björn
authors: B
authors: Walse
authors: Karin
authors: K
authors: Lindkvist-Petersson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000737:chemistry*; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D011487:Protein Conformation; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D018089:Superantigens / Q000737:chemistry*; D020349:Surface Plasmon Resonance
chemical_list: D004768:Enterotoxins; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D016693:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta; C402489:Staphylococcal enterotoxin H; D018089:Superantigens