Cutting edge: Evidence of direct TCR alpha-chain interaction with superantigen

J Immunol. 2007 Sep 1;179(5):2700-4. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.179.5.2700.

Abstract

Superantigens are known to activate a large number of T cells. The SAg is presented by MHC class II on the APC and its classical feature is that it recognizes the variable region of the beta-chain of the TCR. In this article, we report, by direct binding studies, that staphylococcal enterotoxin (SE) H (SEH), a bacterial SAg secreted by Staphylococcus aureus, instead recognizes the variable alpha-chain (TRAV27) of TCR. Furthermore, we show that different SAgs (e.g., SEH and SEA) can simultaneously bind to one TCR by binding the alpha-chain and the beta-chain, respectively. Theoretical three-dimensional models of the penta complexes are presented. Hence, these findings open up a new dimension of the biology of the staphylococcal enterotoxins.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Enterotoxins / chemistry*
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / chemistry*
  • Humans
  • Protein Conformation
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / chemistry*
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta / genetics
  • Superantigens / chemistry*
  • Surface Plasmon Resonance

Substances

  • Enterotoxins
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class II
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, alpha-beta
  • Staphylococcal enterotoxin H
  • Superantigens