V-BETA-8(-)CD8(-) SUBPOPULATION INDUCED BY STAPHYLOCOCCAL-ENTEROTOXIN-B()CD4()

Injection of staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) into BALB/c mice induc ed the depletion of V(beta)8(+) T-cells which were either V(beta)8(+)C D4(+) or V(beta)8(+)CD8(+) cells. The CD8 molecule on V(beta)8(+)CD8() cells was found to decrease at 72 h after SEB treatment while the V( beta)8 molecule on V(beta)8(+) cells or CD4 molecule on V(beta)8(+)CD4 (+) cells was not affected. Furthermore, a subpopulation of V(beta)8+C D4(-)CD8(-) t-cells was also induced after SEB-priming. This subpopula tion can be found in spleen or lymph nodes. It was small in size and c onstituted the major part of V(beta)8(+) cells in lymph nodes at 72 h after SEB-priming. Some of the V(beta)8(+)CD4(-)CD8(-) T-cells might b e autoreactive because they could be stimulated to proliferative by sy ngenic mitomycin C-treated splenocytes. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.