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Bacterial superantigens as anti-tumour agents: induction of tumour cytotoxicity in human lymphocytes by staphylococcal enterotoxin A

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Summary

Activation of lymphocytes by interleukin-2 (IL-2) induces lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells that show promising effects on tumour growth in clinical trials. We examined the effect of the superantigen staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) on anti-tumour activity of freshly prepared human lymphocytes. Picomolar amounts of SEA rapidly induced cytotoxic activity against K562 and Raji cells as well as some natural-killer(NK)-resistant tumour cell lines. Cytotoxic activity was not dependent on target cell expression of either major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I or II antigens as shown using mutated cell lines. Cell-sorting experiments showed that the activity was expressed by NK (CD5−CD56+) as well as T (CD5+) cells, although the former contained the majority of cytotoxic activity. NK cells could not be directly activated by SEA. In contrast, SEA activated purified T cells to the same extent as in bulk cultures. It is suggested that SEA activation of NK cells is secondary to that brought about by lymphokines produced by T cells. Activation of LAK cells with SEA was comparable in magnitude as well as target cell spectrum to that of IL-2. In addition to the LAK-like cytotoxic activity induced by SEA, a superimposed cytotoxicity towards target cells expressing MHC class II antigens coated with SEA was observed. This staphylococcal-enterotoxin-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (SDCC) was exclusively mediated by T cells. It is well established that MHC class II antigens function as receptors for staphylococcal enterotoxins on mammalian cells and that the complex between MHC class II antigen and — SEA apparently functions as a target structure for activated T cells with target cell lysis as a consequence. Activation of T lymphocytes with IL-2 also resulted in the capability to mediate SDCC. Staphylococcal enterotoxins represent a novel way of inducing anti-tumour activity in human lymphocytes, which could be of value in therapeutic applications.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Kabi Pharmacia Therapeutics AB, Scheelevagen 17, S-22 3 63, Lund, Sweden

    Peter A. Lando, Gunnar Hedlund, Mikael Dohlsten & Terje Kalland

  2. The Department of Tumour Immunology, The Wallenberg Laboratory, University of Lund, Box 7031, S-22 007, Lund, Sweden

    Gunnar Hedlund, Mikael Dohlsten & Terje Kalland

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  1. Peter A. Lando
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  2. Gunnar Hedlund
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  3. Mikael Dohlsten
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  4. Terje Kalland
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Lando, P.A., Hedlund, G., Dohlsten, M. et al. Bacterial superantigens as anti-tumour agents: induction of tumour cytotoxicity in human lymphocytes by staphylococcal enterotoxin A. Cancer Immunol Immunother 33, 231–237 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01744942

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01744942

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