Journal article
Staphylococcal Superantigens Cause Lethal Pulmonary Disease in Rabbits
The Journal of infectious diseases, Vol.202(11), pp.1690-1697
12/01/2010
DOI: 10.1086/657156
PMCID: PMC2974057
PMID: 20979456
Abstract
Background.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and others reported that methicillinresistant
S. aureus
(MRSA) are significant causes of serious human infections, including pulmonary illnesses. We investigated the role played by superantigens in lung-associated lethal illness in rabbits.
Methods.
A rabbit model was established to investigate the potential role played by superantigens, staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), staphylococcal enterotoxin C , and toxic chock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1). Rabbits received intrabronchial community-associated (CA) MRSA strains USA200 (TSST-1
+
), MW2 (SEC
+
), c99-529 (SEB
+
), Or Purified Superantigens. Some Rabbits Were Preimmunized Against Superantigens Or Treated With Soluble High-Affinity T Cell Receptors (Vβ-TCR) to Neutralize SEB and then challenged intrabronchially with CA-MRSA or superantigens.
Results.
Rabbits challenged with CA-MRSA or superantigens developed fatal, pulmonary illnesses. Animals preimmunized against purified superantigens, or treated passively with Vβ-TCRs and then challenged with CAMRSA or superantigens, survived. Lung histological analysis indicated that nonimmune animals developed lesions consistent with necrotizing pneumonia after challenge with CA-MRSA or purified superantigens. Superantigenimmune animals or animals treated with soluble Vb-TCRs did not develop pulmonary lesions.
Conclusions.
Superantigens contribute to lethal pulmonary illnesses due to CA-MRSA; preexisting immunity to superantigens prevents lethality. Administration of high-affinity Vβ-TCR with specificity for SEB to nonimmune animals protects from lethal pulmonary illness resulting from SEB
+
CA-MRSA and SEB.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Staphylococcal Superantigens Cause Lethal Pulmonary Disease in Rabbits
- Creators
- Kristi L Strandberg - Department of Microbiology, University of Minnesota Medical SchoolJessica H Rotschafer - Department of Microbiology, University of Minnesota Medical SchoolSara M Vetter - Department of Microbiology, University of Minnesota Medical SchoolRebecca A Buonpane - Department of Biochemistry, University of IllinoisDavid M Kranz - Department of Biochemistry, University of IllinoisPatrick M Schlievert - Department of Microbiology, University of Minnesota Medical School
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- The Journal of infectious diseases, Vol.202(11), pp.1690-1697
- DOI
- 10.1086/657156
- PMID
- 20979456
- PMCID
- PMC2974057
- NLM abbreviation
- J Infect Dis
- ISSN
- 0022-1899
- eISSN
- 1537-6613
- Publisher
- The University of Chicago Press
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 12/01/2010
- Academic Unit
- Microbiology and Immunology; Internal Medicine
- Record Identifier
- 9984001151402771
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