The toxicity of staphylococcal enterotoxin B in mice is mediated by T cells

Programmed cell death and extrathymic reduction of Vbeta8+ CD4+ T cells in mice tolerant to Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin B

Clonal deletion and functional inactivation of self-reactive cells have been invoked as mechanisms underlying intrathymic development of T-cell tolerance. The relative importance of these mechanisms in the development of tolerance of more mature, peripheral T cells either to self or to exogenous antigens is unclear, although recent data relate the development of T-cell tolerance in the periphery to clonal anergy. We have now investigated the induction of extrathymic tolerance using BALB/c mice that were made tolerant to Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin B, a superantigen which specifically interacts in such mice with T cells bearing V beta 8 antigen receptors. Both euthymic and athymic mice made tolerant to S. aureus enterotoxin B had a markedly reduced number of V beta 8.1,2+ CD4+ peripheral T cells. This reduction was accompanied by genomic DNA fragmentation that is associated with cell death. These results indicate that a deletional mechanism can contribute to the induction of T-cell tolerance in peripheral lymphoid cells.

Role of the adhesion molecule ICAM-1 (CD54) in staphylococcal enterotoxin-mediated cytotoxicity

Staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) binds to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules on target cells and directs human cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) of irrelevant nominal specificity to mediate strong cytotoxicity against target cells. In this report we describe the importance of ICAM-1 (CD54) expression on the target cell in SEA-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (SDCC), utilizing murine L cells co-transfected with HLA-DR and ICAM-1. Human CTL mediated a low but significant cytotoxicity against HLA-DR2- and HLA-DR7-transfected cells after preincubation with SEA, but no reactivity towards uncoated HLA-DR2 and HLA-DR7 cells or SEA-coated ICAM-1-transfected and untransfected L cells. In contrast, a strong cytotoxic response was mediated by CTL against L cells co-transfected with HLA-DR2/ICAM-1 and HLA-DR7/ICAM-1. Similar cytotoxic activity of the CTL was seen at a 30-fold lower effector-to-target cell ratio when comparing the HLA-DR2/ICAM-1-expressing cells with the HLA-DR2-expressing cells. SEA dose-response analysis demonstrated that the HLA-DR2/ICAM-1-expressing target cells enabled the CTL to respond to a 1000-fold lower concentration of SEA in comparison to the HLA-DR2-expressing cells. CD3+CD4+ and CD3+CD8+ cytotoxic T cell lines were equally dependent on the expression of ICAM-1 on the target cell. The strong CTL activity against HLA-DR2/ICAM-1-transfected cells could be blocked by anti-CD11a or anti-CD18 monoclonal antibodies (mAb), but not by anti-CD11b, anti-CD11c, anti-CD2 or unrelated control mAb. The great sensitivity of HLA-DR2/ICAM-1 expressing target cells to SDCC was strongly reduced by preincubation with various anti-ICAM-1 mAb but not by mAb against monomorphic HLA-DR or murine MHC class I determinants. The result in this study clearly demonstrates that efficient re-targeting of human CTL by SE is dependent on a proper interaction with the heterodimer CD11a/CD18 (Leu-CAMa, LFA-1) on the CTL and its target cell ligand ICAM-1.

Relative activities of distinct isotypes of murine and human major histocompatibility complex class II molecules in binding toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 and determination of CD antigens expressed on T cells generated upon stimulation by the toxin

Relative abilities of murine and human major histocompatibility complex class II molecules to bind toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1) and T-cell subsets activated by the toxin were investigated. TSST-1 binding was observed in L cells transfected with I-Ab, I-Ak, DR2, and DQw1 genes. Scatchard plot analysis showed similar Kd values (1 x 10(-8) to 3 x 10(-8) M) for these cells. By comparison, binding was not detected in L cells transfected with I-Ek, DPw4, and DP(Cp63) genes. All of the transfectants supported TSST-1-induced proliferative response and interleukin-2 production by murine and human T cells. Levels of accessory activity were lower in the I-Ek transfectants and the DPw4 and DP(Cp63) transfectants than in the I-Ab and I-Ak transfectants and the DR2 and DQw1 transfectants, respectively. The results indicate that I-A, DR, and DQ molecules bind TSST-1 with similar affinities, whereas I-E and DP molecules bind it with fairly low affinity. TSST-1-activated T cells consisted of both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, indicating that TSST-1 activates these two T-cell subsets.

Depression of prothymosin alpha production in murine thymus correlates with staphylococcal enterotoxin-B-induced immunosuppression [corrected]

Prothymosin alpha [corrected] (ProT alpha) and thymosin beta 4 [corrected] (T beta 4) were isolated from murine thymus and characterized by microsequence analysis. Murine T beta 4 has an identical sequence to bovine T beta 4, whereas murine ProT alpha is highly homologous to rat Pro T alpha. Murine Pro T alpha differs from rat Pro T alpha at two positions, Glu100 and Asp108 of the rat sequence are substituted by aspartic and glutamic acid, respectively, in murine Pro T alpha. The amount of Pro T alpha in murine thymus was found to be reduced after in vivo treatment with staphylococcal enterotoxin B [corrected] (SEB), a superantigen which stimulates T cells bearing specific V beta receptors. Results from the anti-SRBC (sheep erythrocyte) plaque-forming cell assay showed that the antibody response of the spleen cells from these animals was also suppressed. On the other hand, the amount of T beta 4 was not changed significantly. Our studies suggest that the suppression of SEB on antibody response correlates with the depression of Pro T alpha production in the thymus.

In vivo induction of anergy in peripheral V beta 8+ T cells by staphylococcal enterotoxin B

We have developed a model of peripheral in vivo T cell tolerance that is induced by administration of the protein superantigen staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB). Rather than activating V beta 8+ T cells, in vivo administration of SEB induced in them a profound state of anergy. This was shown by their failure to proliferate to subsequent in vitro restimulation with SEB or to anti-V beta 8 antibodies. This unresponsiveness was V beta 8 specific since T cells from SEB-immunized mice responded normally to other antigens. 8 d after SEB administration, there was no reduction in the number of V beta 8+ T cells or in the intensity of V beta 8 T cell receptor (TCR) expression. Although a portion of the V beta 8+ T cells from SEB-primed mice were able to express interleukin 2 receptors (IL-2Rs), they failed to proliferate in response to exogenous IL-2, indicating they were defective in their IL-2 responsiveness. 2-4 wk after SEB administration, there was a reduction of approximately 50% in the number of V beta 8+ cells in immunized compared with control animals. There was, however, no reduction in the level of TCR expression on the remaining V beta 8+ cells. These data demonstrate that proteins that activate T cells in vitro in a V beta-specific manner can induce a state of anergy in peripheral T cells in vivo and may possibly further mediate clonal deletion in a portion of the tolerized cells.

Superantigens interact with MHC class II molecules outside of the antigen groove

Superantigens, including the staphylococcal enterotoxins and the minor lymphocyte stimulatory antigens, are highly potent immunostimulatory molecules, capable of activating virtually all T cells that express particular T cell receptor (TCR) variable regions. Superantigen stimulation of T lymphocytes depends on major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules, so there has been some debate as to whether superantigens interact with the antigen binding "groove" on class II complexes, just like conventional peptide antigens, or whether they bind elsewhere and serve as TCR coligands. We compared the presentation of peptide antigens and superantigens by a panel of mutant-presenting cell lines, each displaying an A kappa alpha chain with a single alanine replacement along the alpha helix proposed to form one face of the groove. The negligible effect of these 30 mutations on superantigen presentation, versus their drastic consequences for peptide presentation, prompts us to conclude that superantigens interact with MHC class II molecules outside the groove.

Selective expansion of T cells expressing V beta 2 in toxic shock syndrome

Infection with Staphylococcus aureus and the production of toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of toxic shock syndrome. Previous in vitro studies have demonstrated that TSST-1 is a powerful but selective stimulator of human T cells, and that the majority of activated cells express the TCR V beta 2 gene segment. We therefore studied patients with toxic shock syndrome using a modification of the PCR to determine if expansion of V beta 2+ T cells is a marker of the in vivo disease process. Five of eight patients studied demonstrated markedly elevated levels of circulating V beta 2+ T cells, whereas none showed significantly elevated levels of T cells expressing other V beta gene segments. The results suggest that toxin-mediated T cell activation, which involves a large fraction of the human T cell repertoire, may be critical in the pathogenesis of this disease.

Metabolic, humoral, and cellular responses in adult volunteers immunized with the genetically inactivated pertussis toxin mutant PT-9K/129G

PT-9K/129G, a nontoxic mutant of pertussis toxin (PT) obtained by genetic manipulation, has been shown in animal models to be a promising candidate for new vaccines against whooping cough. To assess the safety and the immunogenicity of PT-9K/129G in humans, a pilot study has been performed in adult volunteers. The protein was found to be safe, capable of inducing high titers of toxin-neutralizing antibodies, and capable of generating immunological memory. In fact, vaccination caused an increase of cell-mediated response to PT, PT-9K/129G, S1 subunit, and B oligomer, indicating that memory T cells are induced by the vaccine. Since PT-9K/129G is mitogenic for T lymphocytes in vitro, it was investigated whether this activity is also present in vivo. No variation was observed in the proportion of T cells (CD3+), T helper cells (CD4+), and cytotoxic T cells (CD8+), as well as in that of other lymphoid populations, by FACS analysis. Interestingly, no thorough correlation was found between humoral and cellular responses. In one case, a very high cellular response was present in absence of detectable antibodies, suggesting that the antibody response, which is the only parameter measured in most clinical trials, may not give a complete picture of the response induced by a vaccine.

Identification of the region of T cell receptor beta chain that interacts with the self-superantigen MIs-1a

Superantigen-MHC complexes are known to stimulate T cells primarily via the V beta element of the T cell receptor. In this paper we identify a number of amino acid residues that define the region of a particular V beta element interacting with one of the self-superantigens, MIs-1a. These residues are predicted to lie on a beta-pleated sheet of the T cell receptor, away from the complementarity determining regions of the receptor, which are thought to interact with complexes of conventional peptide antigens and MHC. In support of this prediction, mutations affecting MIs-1a activity have no effect on the response to conventional antigen and MHC.

The staphylococcal enterotoxins and their relatives

Staphylococcal enterotoxins and a group of related proteins made by Streptococci cause food poisoning and shock in man and animals. These proteins share an ability to bind to human and mouse major histocompatibility complex proteins. The complex ligand so formed has specificity for a particular part of T cell receptors, V beta, and by engaging V beta can stimulate many T cells. It is likely that some or all of the pathological effects of these toxins are caused by their ability to activate quickly so many T cells. It is also possible that encounters with such toxins have caused mice, at least, to evolve mechanisms for varying their T cell V beta repertoires, such that they are less susceptible to attack by the toxins.