The Journal of Immunology, Vol 140, Issue 8 2484-2488, Copyright © 1988 by American Association of Immunologists

ARTICLES

Binding of staphylococcal enterotoxin A to accessory cells is a requirement for its ability to activate human T cells

R Carlsson, H Fischer and HO Sjogren
Department of Tumour Immunology, University of Lund, Sweden.

Staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) activates human T cells at extremely low concentrations corresponding to 1 to 5 molecules/T cell. SEA, in contrast to other polyclonal activators, is absolutely dependent on accessory cells to interact with and activate T cells. Only cells that can bind SEA can act as accessory cells. Monocytes, B cells, and B lymphomas have these properties. Cells of the EBV-transformed B lymphoma Raji are particularly efficient as accessory cells. T cells do not bind soluble SEA. Probably the SEA molecule has to be attached to the accessory cell to become mitogenic. It is presently not known whether the T cell recognizes a molecular complex between the SEA molecule and the putative receptor moiety on the accessory cell or the SEA molecule itself modified by its binding to the accessory cell.

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