Journal article
Characterization of Two Novel Pyrogenic Toxin Superantigens Made by an Acute Rheumatic Fever Clone of Streptococcus pyogenes Associated with Multiple Disease Outbreaks
Infection and immunity, Vol.70(12), pp.7095-7104
12/2002
DOI: 10.1128/IAI.70.12.7095-7104.2002
PMCID: PMC133074
PMID: 12438391
Abstract
The pathogenesis of acute rheumatic fever (ARF) is poorly understood. We identified two contiguous bacteriophage genes, designated
speL
and
speM
, encoding novel inferred superantigens in the genome sequence of an ARF strain of serotype M18 group A streptococcus (GAS).
speL
and
speM
were located at the same genomic site in 33 serotype M18 isolates, and no nucleotide sequence diversity was observed in the 33 strains analyzed. Furthermore, the genes were absent in 13 non-M18 strains tested. These data indicate a recent acquisition event by a distinct clone of serotype M18 GAS.
speL
and
speM
were transcribed in vitro and upregulated in the exponential phase of growth. Purified SpeL and SpeM were pyrogenic and mitogenic for rabbit splenocytes and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells in picogram amounts. SpeL preferentially expanded human T cells expressing T-cell receptors Vβ1, Vβ5.1, and Vβ23, and SpeM had specificity for Vβ1 and Vβ23 subsets, indicating that both proteins had superantigen activity. SpeL was lethal in two animal models of streptococcal toxic shock, and SpeM was lethal in one model. Serologic studies indicated that ARF patients were exposed to serotype M18 GAS, SpeL, and SpeM. The data demonstrate that SpeL and SpeM are pyrogenic toxin superantigens and suggest that they may participate in the host-pathogen interactions in some ARF patients.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Characterization of Two Novel Pyrogenic Toxin Superantigens Made by an Acute Rheumatic Fever Clone of Streptococcus pyogenes Associated with Multiple Disease Outbreaks
- Creators
- Laura M Smoot - Division of Clinical Immunology, Departments of Pathology, Pediatrics, and Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah 84132John K McCormick - Division of Clinical Immunology, Departments of Pathology, Pediatrics, and Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah 84132James C Smoot - Division of Clinical Immunology, Departments of Pathology, Pediatrics, and Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah 84132Nancy P Hoe - Division of Clinical Immunology, Departments of Pathology, Pediatrics, and Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah 84132Ian Strickland - Division of Clinical Immunology, Departments of Pathology, Pediatrics, and Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah 84132Robert L Cole - Division of Clinical Immunology, Departments of Pathology, Pediatrics, and Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah 84132Kent D Barbian - Division of Clinical Immunology, Departments of Pathology, Pediatrics, and Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah 84132Cathleen A Earhart - Division of Clinical Immunology, Departments of Pathology, Pediatrics, and Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah 84132Douglas H Ohlendorf - Division of Clinical Immunology, Departments of Pathology, Pediatrics, and Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah 84132L. George Veasy - Division of Clinical Immunology, Departments of Pathology, Pediatrics, and Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah 84132Harry R Hill - Division of Clinical Immunology, Departments of Pathology, Pediatrics, and Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah 84132Donald Y. M Leung - Division of Clinical Immunology, Departments of Pathology, Pediatrics, and Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah 84132Patrick M Schlievert - Division of Clinical Immunology, Departments of Pathology, Pediatrics, and Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah 84132James M Musser - Division of Clinical Immunology, Departments of Pathology, Pediatrics, and Medicine, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, Utah 84132
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Infection and immunity, Vol.70(12), pp.7095-7104
- DOI
- 10.1128/IAI.70.12.7095-7104.2002
- PMID
- 12438391
- PMCID
- PMC133074
- NLM abbreviation
- Infect Immun
- ISSN
- 0019-9567
- eISSN
- 1098-5522
- Publisher
- American Society for Microbiology
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 12/2002
- Academic Unit
- Microbiology and Immunology; Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9984001124402771
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