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Nasopharyngeal infection by Streptococcus pyogenes requires
superantigen-responsive V?-specific T cells
#MMPMID28794279
Zeppa JJ
; Kasper KJ
; Mohorovic I
; Mazzuca DM
; Haeryfar SMM
; McCormick JK
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
2017[Sep]; 114
(38
): 10226-10231
PMID28794279
show ga
The globally prominent pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes secretes potent
immunomodulatory proteins known as superantigens (SAgs), which engage lateral
surfaces of major histocompatibility class II molecules and T-cell receptor (TCR)
?-chain variable domains (V?s). These interactions result in the activation of
numerous V?-specific T cells, which is the defining activity of a SAg. Although
streptococcal SAgs are known virulence factors in scarlet fever and toxic shock
syndrome, mechanisms by how SAgs contribute to the life cycle of S. pyogenes
remain poorly understood. Herein, we demonstrate that passive immunization
against the V?8-targeting SAg streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin A (SpeA), or
active immunization with either wild-type or a nonfunctional SpeA mutant,
protects mice from nasopharyngeal infection; however, only passive immunization,
or vaccination with inactive SpeA, resulted in high-titer SpeA-specific
antibodies in vivo. Mice vaccinated with wild-type SpeA rendered V?8(+) T cells
poorly responsive, which prevented infection. This phenotype was reproduced with
staphylococcal enterotoxin B, a heterologous SAg that also targets V?8(+) T
cells, and rendered mice resistant to infection. Furthermore, antibody-mediated
depletion of T cells prevented nasopharyngeal infection by S. pyogenes, but not
by Streptococcus pneumoniae, a bacterium that does not produce SAgs. Remarkably,
these observations suggest that S. pyogenes uses SAgs to manipulate V?-specific T
cells to establish nasopharyngeal infection.