title: Possible role of superantigens in inducing autoimmunity in pemphigus patients.
abstract: The diagnostic and pathological relevance of anti-desmoglein autoantibodies in common forms of pemphigus has been well established, and T cells have been shown to play a role in the onset and progression of these diseases. The role of superantigens in provoking polyclonal activation of T cells with many different fine specificities, possibly including autoreactive T cells and T-cell mediated autoantibody response, is unknown. Further, abnormal T-cell function may lead to opportunistic infections particularly with Candida. The response of T cells of pemphigus patients to recall antigens of these opportunists is not clear. The aim of this study was to investigate the in vitro response of T lymphocytes from pemphigus patients to common bacterial superantigens such as streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin A and staphylococcal enterotoxin B, and recall antigens such as Candida antigen. Changes in CD3(+) CD4(+) and CD3(+) CD8(+) T-cell sub-populations and expression of naive/memory markers (CD45RA(+) /RO(+)) on different T cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. Significant elevation in CD3(+) CD4(+) and expression of the memory (CD45RO(+)) markers on these cells was observed both in pemphigus vulgaris and pemphigus foliaceus patients, as compared to healthy controls, upon stimulation with streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin A and staphylococcal enterotoxin B. However, only memory T cells (CD45RO(+)) were significantly increased upon Candida antigen stimulation. Our study suggests that CD4(+) memory T lymphocytes may modulate the pathogenic autoantibody response in pemphigus patients, and also emphasizes the possibility that the superantigen-reactive T cells participate in the triggering of autoimmunity in pemphigus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, University College of Medical Sciences (University of Delhi), India.
authors.forename: Sajad A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Dar
authors.forename: Shukla
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: Sambit N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Bhattacharya
authors.forename: Vishnampettai G
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: Ramachandran
authors.forename: Tanzeel
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Basu Dev
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Banerjee
authors.forename: Sidharth
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sonthalia
authors.forename: Vikas
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sood
authors.forename: Akhil C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Banerjea
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015551:Autoimmunity; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D002175:Candida / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000276:immunology; D005098:Exotoxins / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007156:Immunologic Memory; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010392:Pemphigus / Q000276:immunology*; D018089:Superantigens / Q000276:immunology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004768:Enterotoxins; D005098:Exotoxins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C117980:SpeA protein, Streptococcus pyogenes; D018089:Superantigens; C031818:enterotoxin B, staphylococcal; D017493:Leukocyte Common Antigens