Molecular requirements for T cell activation by the staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome toxin-1
Norton, S.D.; Schlievert, P.M.; Novick, R.P.; Jenkins, M.K.
Journal of Immunology 144(6): 2089-2095
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0022-1767 PMID: 2313089 Document Number: 360597
The activation of Ag-specific, Ia molecule-restricted, TCR V beta 3+ T cell clones by staphylococcal toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1), was investigated. The results show that although Ag- and TSST-1-induced activation of T cell clones both require TCR expression and similar biologic activation signals, the Ia molecule requirement for TSST-1 recognition was much less stringent than that observed for antigenic peptide recognition. In addition, T cell clones recognized TSST-1 without processing by APC. These results suggest that the ability of TSST-1 to polyclonally activate T cells is dependent on TCR recognition of the intact toxin molecule bound to a nonpolymorphic region(s) of the Ia molecule resulting in the same activation events induced by Ag recognition.