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Study of the Biological Activities of Toxic Shock Syndrome Toxin‐1
Author(s) -
Uchiyama Takehiko,
Kamagata Yusuke,
Wakai Mariko,
Yoshioka Morimasa,
Fujikawa Hiroshi,
Igarashi Hideo
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
microbiology and immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.664
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1348-0421
pISSN - 0385-5600
DOI - 10.1111/j.1348-0421.1986.tb02973.x
Subject(s) - toxin , toxic shock syndrome , biology , shock (circulatory) , microbiology and biotechnology , toxicology , medicine , genetics , bacteria , staphylococcus aureus
The mitogenic and interleukin 2 (IL 2) production‐inducing effects of toxic shock syndrome toxin‐1 (TSST‐1) on murine lymphocytes were investigated. TSST‐1, an exotoxin produced by Staphylococcus aureus recovered from patients with toxic shock syndrome (TSS), is thought to be a causative agent of the syndrome. TSST‐1 was mitogenic for splenic T cells and peanut agglutinin (PNA)‐negative thymocytes, but not for T cell‐depleted spleen cells, PNA‐positive thymocytes or IL 2‐dependent CTLL 2‐cells. A factor mitogenic for CTCC‐2 cells with a molecular weight of 30–35 kdaltons was obtained by stimulating spleen cells with TSST‐1 and it was absorbed by CTLL‐2 cells, indicating that the factor is IL 2. For substantial amounts of IL 2 to be produced, 10 ng or more of TSST‐1 per ml and 48 hr or more of incubation were required. Removal of T cells abrogated the IL 2 production by spleen cells. T cells obtained by the nylon wool column method alone produced IL 2 on TSST‐1 stimulation in the presence of either macrophages or a macrophage lysate containing interleukin 1. However, T cells obtained by a combination of the nylon wool column method and anti‐Ia antibody treatment produced IL 2 in the presence of macrophages but not of the macrophage lysate, indicating that IL 2 production by TSST‐1‐stimulated T cells is absolutely dependent on the presence of accessory cells.