Systemic inflammatory response elicited by superantigen destabilizes T regulatory cells, rendering them ineffective during toxic shock syndrome.

ABSTRACT: Life-threatening infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus, particularly the community-acquired methicillin-resistant strains of S. aureus, continue to pose serious problems. Greater virulence and increased pathogenicity of certain S. aureus strains are attributed to higher prevalence of exotoxins. Of these exotoxins, the superantigens (SAg) are likely most pathogenic because of their ability to rapidly and robustly activate the T cells even in extremely small quantities. Therefore, countering SAg-mediated T cell activation using T regulatory cells (Tregs) might be beneficial in diseases such as toxic shock syndrome (TSS). As the normal numbers of endogenous Tregs in a typical host are insufficient, we hypothesized that increasing the Treg numbers by administration of IL-2/anti-IL-2 Ab im

SUBMITTER: Tilahun AY 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4157092 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature