Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Inhibitory effect of catechin against the superantigen staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB)

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Archives of Dermatological Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Staphylococcal superantigens (SsAgs) have gained attention as one of the factors aggravating atopic dermatitis (AD) and several potential mechanisms of AD aggravation by SsAgs have been reported. Tea catechin has been found to have many unique antimicrobiological activities such as antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and antitoxic effects. In the present study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of the green tea catechin extract, Polyphenon, and (−)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg) on staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) and its mechanisms of action, and we also discuss the possibility of therapeutic benefits for AD patients of tea catechin. Polyphenon inhibited the lethal toxicity of SEB and the SEB-induced production of TNF-α, IFN-γ and IL-4 following its intraperitoneal administration to BALB/c mice. Although Polyphenon is composed of several isomers among which EGCg is approximately 50% of the total, we considered that most of the inhibitory effect of Polyphenon in mice could be attributed to EGCg. EGCg was immediately bound to SEB molecules and neutralized SEB in a dose- and incubation time-dependent manner without molecular weight alteration of the SEB molecule. Furthermore, EGCg inhibited SEB-induced TNF-α and IFN- γ production and IL-2, IFN- γ, IL-10 and IL-12 p40 mRNA expression in human PBMCs from normal donors in a dose-dependent manner. Inhibition of SsAg-induced T-cell activation by catechin was observed in both in vivo and in vitro studies, suggesting that catechin may be useful in the treatment of AD.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1a–c.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 4.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Hamilton-Miller JLT (1995) Antimicrobial properties of tea (Camella sinensis L.) (review). Antimicrob Agents Chemother 39:2375–2377

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Hamilton-Miller JLT (1997) Microbiological properties of tea infusions. In: Schubert R, Spira M (eds) Chemical and biological properties of tea infusions. German Medical Information Services, pp 63–75

  3. Sakanaka S, Kim M, Taniguchi M, Yamamoto T (1989) Antibacterial substances in Japanese green tea extract against Streptococcus mutans, a carcinogenic bacterium. Agric Biol Chem 53:2307–2311

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Toda M, Okubo S, Hiyoshi R, Shimamura T (1989) The bactericidal activity of tea and coffee. Lett Appl Microbiol 8:123–125

    Google Scholar 

  5. Toda M, Okubo S, Ikigai H, Suzuki T, Suzuki Y, Shimamura T (1992) The protective activity of tea catechins against experimental infection by Vibrio cholerae O1. Microbiol Immunol 36:999–1001

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. John T, Mukundan P (1979) Virus inhibition by tea, caffeine and tannic acid. Indian J Med Res 69:542–545

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Nakayama M, Suzuki K, Toda M, Okubo S, Hara Y, Shimamura T (1993) Inhibition of the infectivity of influenza virus by tea polyphenols. Antiviral Res 21:289–299

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Yamaguchi K, Honda M, Ikigai H, Hara Y, Shimamura T (2002) Inhibitory effects of (−)-epigallocatechin gallate on the life cycle of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Antiviral Res 53:19–34

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Okubo S, Toda M, Hara Y, Shimamura T (1991) Antifungal and fungicidal activities of tea extract and catechin. Jpn J Bacteriol 46:509–514

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Okubo S, Ikigai H, Toda M, Shimamura T (1989) The anti-haemolysin activity of tea and coffee. Lett Appl Microbiol 9:65–66

    Google Scholar 

  11. Ikigai H, Nakae T, Hara Y, Shimamura T (1993) Bactericidal catechins damage the lipid bilayer. Biochim Biophys Acta 1147:132–136

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Zhao WH, Hu ZQ, Okubo S, Hara Y, Shimamura T (2001) Mechanism of synergy between epigallocatechin gallate and beta-lactams against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 45:1737–1742

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Hu ZQ, Zhao WH, Hara Y, Shimamura T (2001) Epigallocatechin gallate synergy with ampicillin/sulbactam against 28 clinical isolates of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. J Antimicrob Chemother 48:361–364

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Hu ZQ, Zhao WH, Asano N, Yoda Y, Hara Y, Shimamura T (2002) Epigallocatechin gallate synergistically enhances the activity of carbapenems against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 46:558–560

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Marrack P, Kappler J (1990) The staphylococcal enterotoxins and their relatives. Science 248:705–711

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Choi YW, Kotzin B, Herron L, Callahan J, Marrack P, Kappler J (1989) Interaction of Staphylococcus aureus toxin "superantigens" with human T cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 86:8941–8945

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Dellabona P, Peccoud J, Kappler J, Marrack P, Benoist C, Mathis D (1990) Superantigens interact with MHC class II molecules outside of the antigen groove. Cell 62:1115–1121

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Leung DYM (1995) Atopic dermatitis: the skin as a window into the pathogenesis of chronic allergic diseases. J Allergy Clin Immunol 96:302–319

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Hauser C, Wuethrich B, Matter L, Wilhelm JA, Sonnabend W, Schopfer K (1985) Staphylococcus aureus skin colonization in atopic dermatitis patients. Dermatologica 170:35–39

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Wachs GN, Maibach HI (1976) Co-operative double-blind trial of an antibiotic/corticoid combination in impetiginized atopic dermatitis. Br J Dermatol 95:323–328

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Leung DY, Harbeck R, Bina P, Reiser RF, Yang E, Norris DA, Hanifin JM, Sampson HA (1993) Presence of IgE antibodies to staphylococcal exotoxins on the skin of patients with atopic dermatitis. Evidence for a new group of allergens. J Clin Invest 92:1374–1380

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Taskapan MO, Kumar P (2000) Role of staphylococcal superantigens in atopic dermatitis: from colonization to inflammation. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 84:3–12

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Chomczynski P (1993) A reagent for the single-step simultaneous isolation of RNA, DNA and proteins from cell and tissue samples. Biotechniques 15:536–537

    Google Scholar 

  24. Galanos C, Freudenberg MA, Reutter W (1979) Galactosamine-induced sensitization to the lethal effects of endotoxin. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 76:5939–5943

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Miethke T, Wahl C, Heeg K, Echtenacher B, Krammer PH, Wagner H (1992) T cell-mediated lethal shock triggered in mice by the superantigen staphylococcal enterotoxin B: critical role of tumor necrosis factor. J Exp Med 175:91–98

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Ezepchuk YV, Leung DY, Middleton MH, Bina P, Reiser R, Norris DA (1996) Staphylococcal toxins and protein A differentially induce cytotoxicity and release of tumor necrosis factor-alpha from human keratinocytes. J Invest Dermatol 107:603–609

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Strange P, Skov L, Lisby S, Nielsen PL, Baadsgaard O (1996) Staphylococcal enterotoxin B applied on intact normal and intact atopic skin induces dermatitis. Arch Dermatol 132:27–33

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Skov L, Olsen JV, Giorno R, Schlievert PM, Baadsgaard O, Leung DY (2000) Application of staphylococcal enterotoxin B on normal and atopic skin induces up-regulation of T cells by a superantigen-mediated mechanism. J Allergy Clin Immunol 105:820–826

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Saloga J, Leung DY, Reardon C, Giorno RC, Born W, Gelfand EW (1996) Cutaneous exposure to the superantigen staphylococcal enterotoxin B elicits a T-cell-dependent inflammatory response. J Invest Dermatol 106:982–988

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Leung DY, Gately M, Trumble A, Ferguson-Darnell B, Schlievert PM, Picker LJ (1995) Bacterial superantigens induce T cell expression of the skin-selective homing receptor, the cutaneous lymphocyte-associated antigen, via stimulation of interleukin 12 production. J Exp Med 181:747–753

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Grewe M, Gyufko K, Schopf E, Krutmann J (1994) Lesional expression of interferon-gamma in atopic eczema. Lancet 343:25–26

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Nomura I, Tanaka K, Tomita H, Katsunuma T, Ohya Y, Ikeda N, Takeda T, Saito H, Akasawa A (1999) Evaluation of the staphylococcal exotoxins and their specific IgE in childhood atopic dermatitis. J Allergy Clin Immunol 104:441–446

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgement

We would like to thank Dr. Geoffrey W. Patton, National Cancer Institute, Frederic, Maryland, for critical review of the manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Showa University School of Medicine, 1-5-8, Hatanodai, Shinagawa-ku, 142-8555, Tokyo, Japan

    Michi Hisano, Koushi Yamaguchi, Yousuke Inoue & Tadakatsu Shimamura

  2. First Department of Internal Medicine, Showa University School of Medicine, 1-5-8, Hatanodai, Shinagawa-ku, 142-8555, Tokyo, Japan

    Michi Hisano, Yousuke Inoue & Mitsuru Adachi

  3. Department of Perinatology, National Center for Child Health and Development, 2-10-1, Okura, Setagaya-ku, 157-8535, Tokyo, Japan

    Koushi Yamaguchi

  4. Department of Dermatology, Showa University School of Medicine, 1-5-8, Hatanodai, Shinagawa-ku, 142-8555, Tokyo, Japan

    Yuusuke Ikeda & Masafumi Iijima

Authors
  1. Michi Hisano
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Koushi Yamaguchi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yousuke Inoue
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Yuusuke Ikeda
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Masafumi Iijima
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Mitsuru Adachi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Tadakatsu Shimamura
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michi Hisano.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hisano, M., Yamaguchi, K., Inoue, Y. et al. Inhibitory effect of catechin against the superantigen staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB). Arch Dermatol Res 295, 183–189 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00403-003-0411-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00403-003-0411-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation