Characterization of unique human TCR V beta specificities for a family of streptococcal superantigens represented by rheumatogenic serotypes of M protein

Autor: R Watanabe-Ohnishi, J Aelion, L LeGros, M A Tomai, E V Sokurenko, D Newton, J Takahara, S Irino, S Rashed, M Kotb
Rok vydání: 1994
Předmět:
Zdroj: The Journal of Immunology. 152:2066-2073
ISSN: 1550-6606
0022-1767
DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.152.4.2066
Popis: The M protein of Streptococcus pyogenes plays a major role in the virulence of these bacteria. Members of the M protein superfamily are characterized by the presence of tandem segments of repeated amino acid sequences. The NH2-terminal end of the M proteins is a hypervariable region that harbors the type-specific epitopes of the molecule. Pepsin cleaves the molecule into a highly conserved carboxyl terminal half and a variable amino terminal portion referred to as pep M. In some individuals, infection with certain serotypes of group A streptococci is followed by autoimmune disorders such as rheumatic fever and acute glomerulonephritis. The serotypes of M protein that show a high degree of association with acute rheumatic fever are referred to as rheumatogenic serotypes. We have reported that one such serotype, type 5, is a superantigen to human T cells, specifically stimulating T cells bearing V beta 2, V beta 4, and V beta 8 elements. Here we extend our studies by examining other rheumatogenic serotypes for superantigenic properties. Studies with types 6, 18, 19, and 24 M proteins revealed that they are all superantigens to human T cells. The specificity to V beta 4 was shared by the rheumatogenic M proteins tested; however, each pep M serotype has its unique characteristic set of V beta specificity and these are distinct from those reported for the streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxins. The non-rheumatogenic serotype, pep M2, only stimulated V beta 2-bearing T cells. This study establishes that the structurally related M proteins represent a family of streptococcal superantigens analogous to the structurally related family of staphylococcal enterotoxin superantigens.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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