TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR PRODUCTION BY HUMAN T-CELLS STIMULATED WITH BACTERIAL SUPERANTIGENS

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) production from T-cells stimulated with su perantigenic exotoxins, staphylococcal enterotoxin B and streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin A was investigated in the presence of cells bearin g distinct isotypes of HLA class II molecules. The main T-cell subset for TNF production was investigated in parallel. Similarly high levels of TNF production were induced upon stimulation with the toxins in th e presence of DR(+) or DQ(+) cells, but only marginal levels of TNF pr oduction were induced in the presence of DP+ cells. Although both CD4( +) T-cells and CD8(+) T-cells produced TNF-alpha and TNF-beta in respo nse to toxin stimulation in the presence of HLA class II+ cells, the f ormer T-cell subset was the major source of producers of TNF-alpha and TNF-beta.