Abstract
The bacterial superantigen, staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) activates T cells with high frequency and directs them to lyse MHC-class-II-expressing cells in superantigen-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (SDCC). Treatment of mice with SEA induced strong CD8+ T-cell(CTL)-mediated SDCC, as well as abundant cytokine production from CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. However, both cytotoxicity and cytokine release were transient. In contrast, combined treatment with SEA and recombinant interleukin-2 (rIL-2) increased peak levels and maintained CTL activity. These effects were concomitant with an increased number of SEA-reactive Vβ11+ T cells. Both the CD4+ and CD8+ populations contained higher frequencies of cells expressing IL-2 receptor (IL-2R) αβ, which suggests that continuous IL-2R signaling preserves its high expression and subsequently prevents loss of growth factor signal necessary for expansion of T cells. Although IL-2R expression was increased among both CD4+ and CD8+ cells, only the cytotoxic function of CTL, but not cytokine production from either CD4 or CD8, was augmented. These findings demonstrate that treatment with rIL-2 potentiates superantigen-induced cytotoxicity and maintains high CTL activity. rIL-2 might therefore be useful in improving superantigenbased tumor therapy.
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Belfrage, H., Dohlsten, M., Hedlund, G. et al. Enhanced and prolonged efficacy of superantigen-induced cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity by interleukin-2 in vivo. Cancer Immunol Immunother 41, 87–94 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01527404
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01527404