SUPPRESSIVE EFFECT OF STAPHYLOCOCCAL-ENTEROTOXIN-B ON MURINE CONTACT HYPERSENSITIVITY

Superantigens (SAg) possess the capacity to interact with particular V P regions of T cell receptor (TCR) and major histocompatibility comple x (MHC) class II molecules, and activate a large number of T cells and accessory cells. staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) are recently well known as SAg and anticipate to modulate immunological reactions. In th is study, we investigated the effect of staphylococcal enterotoxin B ( SEE) on contact hypersensitivity reaction (CHR) to 2,4-dinitrofluorobe nzene (DNFB) in BALB/c mice. SEE-injection inhibited the induction of sensitization on CHR. Suppressor cells were not found in the spleen or lymph node cells from mice treated with SEE. Normal spleen cells cult ured with SEE showed significant proliferation and tumor necrosis fact or-alpha (TNF-alpha) production. CHR was suppressed by intravenous inj ection of the culture supernatant. In addition, anti-TNF-alpha antibod ies inhibited the suppressive effect induced by the supernatant. These findings indicate that TNF-alpha produced by SEE-responding cells inh ibits the induction of sensitization on CHR. Therefore, SAg may play i mportant roles in the modulation of immune system through the stimulat ion of TNF-alpha production.