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Bacterial Superantigens—Mechanism of T Cell Activation by the Superantigens and Their Role in the Pathogenesis of Infectious Diseases
Author(s) -
Uchiyama Takehiko,
Yan Xiaojie,
Imanishi Ken'ichi,
Yagi Junji
Publication year - 1994
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.1348-0421.1994.tb01772.x
Subject(s) - superantigen , pathogenesis , biology , mechanism (biology) , immunology , microbiology and biotechnology , virology , t cell , immune system , philosophy , epistemology
It has been 6 years since the novel concept of superantigen was proposed in 1989 in the fields which cover immunology, microbiology and the study of infectious diseases (83). Superantigens are now classified into 2 groups, bacterial (46, 53) and viral (4, 46). The former are products mainly of virulent pathogenic bacteria. The latter are products of endogenous or exogenous mouse mammary tumor viruses. Genes of viral superantigens are located in open reading frames of a 3'-long terminal repeat in the DNA proviruses (13). A remarkable biological feature of superantigens is that they are potent stimulators of T cells. In appearance, the mechanism of T cell activation by superantigens shares many aspects with that by conventional immunogens, but viewed precisely, we find many differences between the two mechanisms. In addition, most of the bacterial superantigens have been implicated in the pathogenesis of certain infectious diseases manifesting acute and systemic clinical symptoms. We have considered that T cell activation by bacterial superantigens is primarily involved in the pathogenesis of the infectious diseases caused by these bacteria (75-77). In this review we will summarize recent progress in the research on bacterial superantigens, focusing on the mechanism of T cell activation by them and their pathogenic role in infectious diseases . I. Pathogenicity and General Features of Bacterial Superantigens