scholarly journals Superantigen Recognition and Interactions: Functions, Mechanisms and Applications

Author(s):  
Anthony M. Deacy ◽  
Samuel Ken-En Gan ◽  
Jeremy P. Derrick

Superantigens are unconventional antigens which recognise immune receptors outside the usual binding sites e.g. complementary determining regions (CDRs), to elicit a response within the target cell. T-cell superantigens crosslink T-cell receptors and MHC Class II molecules on antigen-presenting cells, leading to lymphocyte recruitment, induction of cytokine storms and T-cell anergy or apoptosis among many other effects. B-cell superantigens, on the other hand, bind immunoglobulin receptors on B-cells affecting opsonisation, IgG-mediated phagocytosis, and drive B-cells into apoptosis. Here, through a review of the structural basis for recognition of immune receptors by superantigens, we show that their binding interfaces share specific physicochemical characteristics when compared with other protein-protein interaction complexes. Given that antibody-binding superantigens have been exploited extensively in industrial antibody purification, these observations could facilitate further protein engineering to optimize the use of superantigens in this and other areas of biotechnology.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony M. Deacy ◽  
Samuel Ken-En Gan ◽  
Jeremy P. Derrick

Superantigens are unconventional antigens which recognise immune receptors outside their usual recognition sites e.g. complementary determining regions (CDRs), to elicit a response within the target cell. T-cell superantigens crosslink T-cell receptors and MHC Class II molecules on antigen-presenting cells, leading to lymphocyte recruitment, induction of cytokine storms and T-cell anergy or apoptosis among many other effects. B-cell superantigens, on the other hand, bind immunoglobulins on B-cells, affecting opsonisation, IgG-mediated phagocytosis, and driving apoptosis. Here, through a review of the structural basis for recognition of immune receptors by superantigens, we show that their binding interfaces share specific physicochemical characteristics when compared with other protein-protein interaction complexes. Given that antibody-binding superantigens have been exploited extensively in industrial antibody purification, these observations could facilitate further protein engineering to optimize the use of superantigens in this and other areas of biotechnology.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. e698 ◽  
Author(s):  
Darius Häusler ◽  
Zivar Hajiyeva ◽  
Jan W. Traub ◽  
Scott S. Zamvil ◽  
Patrice H. Lalive ◽  
...  

ObjectiveWe examined the effect of glatiramer acetate (GA) on B-cell maturation, differentiation, and antigen presentation in MS and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE).MethodsA cross-sectional study of blood samples from 20 GA-treated and 18 untreated patients with MS was performed by flow cytometry; 6 GA-treated patients with MS were analyzed longitudinally. GA-mediated effects on B-cell antigen-presenting function were investigated in EAE, or, alternatively, B cells were treated with GA in vitro using vehicle as a control.ResultsIn MS, GA diminished transitional B-cell and plasmablast frequency, downregulated CD69, CD25, and CD95 expression, and decreased TNF-α production, whereas IL-10 secretion and MHC Class II expression were increased. In EAE, we observed an equivalent dampening of proinflammatory B-cell properties and an enhanced expression of MHC Class II. When used as antigen-presenting cells for activation of naive T cells, GA-treated B cells promoted development of regulatory T cells, whereas proinflammatory T-cell differentiation was diminished.ConclusionsGA immune modulates B-cell function in EAE and MS and efficiently interferes with pathogenic B cell–T cell interaction.


2017 ◽  
Vol 214 (11) ◽  
pp. 3417-3433 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaojing Chen ◽  
Lucia Poncette ◽  
Thomas Blankenstein

For thymic selection and responses to pathogens, T cells interact through their αβ T cell receptor (TCR) with peptide–major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules on antigen-presenting cells. How the diverse TCRs interact with a multitude of MHC molecules is unresolved. It is also unclear how humans generate larger TCR repertoires than mice do. We compared the TCR repertoire of CD4 T cells selected from a single mouse or human MHC class II (MHC II) in mice containing the human TCR gene loci. Human MHC II yielded greater thymic output and a more diverse TCR repertoire. The complementarity determining region 3 (CDR3) length adjusted for different inherent V-segment affinities to MHC II. Humans evolved with greater nontemplate-encoded CDR3 diversity than did mice. Our data, which demonstrate human TCR–MHC coevolution after divergence from rodents, explain the greater T cell diversity in humans and suggest a mechanism for ensuring that any V–J gene combination can be selected by a single MHC II.


1993 ◽  
Vol 178 (2) ◽  
pp. 633-642 ◽  
Author(s):  
N Bhardwaj ◽  
J W Young ◽  
A J Nisanian ◽  
J Baggers ◽  
R M Steinman

Dendritic cells are potent antigen-presenting cells for several primary immune responses and therefore provide an opportunity for evaluating the amounts of cell-associated antigens that are required for inducing T cell-mediated immunity. Because dendritic cells express very high levels of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II products, it has been assumed that high levels of ligands bound to MHC products ("signal one") are needed to stimulate quiescent T cells. Here we describe quantitative aspects underlying the stimulation of human blood T cells by a bacterial superantigen, staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA). The advantages of superantigens for quantitative studies of signal one are that these ligands: (a) engage MHC class II and the T cell receptor but do not require processing; (b) are efficiently presented to large numbers of quiescent T cells; and (c) can be pulsed onto dendritic cells before their application to T cells. Thus one can relate amounts of dendritic cell-associated SEA to subsequent lymphocyte stimulation. Using radioiodinated SEA, we noted that dendritic cells can bind 30-200 times more superantigen than B cells and monocytes. Nevertheless, this high SEA binding does not underlie the strong potency of dendritic cells to present antigen to T cells. Dendritic cells can sensitize quiescent T cells, isolated using monoclonals to appropriate CD45R epitopes, after a pulse of SEA that occupies a maximum of 0.1% of surface MHC class II molecules. This corresponds to an average of 2,000 molecules per dendritic cell. At these low doses of bound SEA, monoclonal antibodies to CD3, CD4, and CD28 almost completely block T cell proliferation. In addition to suggesting new roles for MHC class II on dendritic cells, especially the capture and retention of ligands at low external concentrations, the data reveal that primary T cells can generate a response to exceptionally low levels of signal one as long as these are delivered on dendritic cells.


2017 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Swadhinya Arjunaraja ◽  
Brent D. Nosé ◽  
Gauthaman Sukumar ◽  
Nathaniel M. Lott ◽  
Clifton L. Dalgard ◽  
...  

1998 ◽  
Vol 187 (10) ◽  
pp. 1611-1621 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah E. Townsend ◽  
Christopher C. Goodnow

Antigen-specific B cells are implicated as antigen-presenting cells in memory and tolerance responses because they capture antigens efficiently and localize to T cell zones after antigen capture. It has not been possible, however, to visualize the effect of specific B cells on specific CD4+ helper T cells under physiological conditions. We demonstrate here that rare T cells are activated in vivo by minute quantities of antigen captured by antigen-specific B cells. Antigen-activated B cells are helped under these conditions, whereas antigen-tolerant B cells are killed. The T cells proliferate and then disappear regardless of whether the B cells are activated or tolerant. We show genetically that T cell activation, proliferation, and disappearance can be mediated either by transfer of antigen from antigen-specific B cells to endogenous antigen-presenting cells or by direct B–T cell interactions. These results identify a novel antigen presentation route, and demonstrate that B cell presentation of antigen has profound effects on T cell fate that could not be predicted from in vitro studies.


2019 ◽  
Vol 216 (4) ◽  
pp. 728-742 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felipe Melo-Gonzalez ◽  
Hana Kammoun ◽  
Elza Evren ◽  
Emma E. Dutton ◽  
Markella Papadopoulou ◽  
...  

Intestinal immune homeostasis is dependent upon tightly regulated and dynamic host interactions with the commensal microbiota. Immunoglobulin A (IgA) produced by mucosal B cells dictates the composition of commensal bacteria residing within the intestine. While emerging evidence suggests the majority of IgA is produced innately and may be polyreactive, mucosal-dwelling species can also elicit IgA via T cell–dependent mechanisms. However, the mechanisms that modulate the magnitude and quality of T cell–dependent IgA responses remain incompletely understood. Here we demonstrate that group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3) regulate steady state interactions between T follicular helper cells (TfH) and B cells to limit mucosal IgA responses. ILC3 used conserved migratory cues to establish residence within the interfollicular regions of the intestinal draining lymph nodes, where they act to limit TfH responses and B cell class switching through antigen presentation. The absence of ILC3-intrinsic antigen presentation resulted in increased and selective IgA coating of bacteria residing within the colonic mucosa. Together these findings implicate lymph node resident, antigen-presenting ILC3 as a critical regulatory checkpoint in the generation of T cell–dependent colonic IgA and suggest ILC3 act to maintain tissue homeostasis and mutualism with the mucosal-dwelling commensal microbiota.


1992 ◽  
Vol 176 (5) ◽  
pp. 1465-1469 ◽  
Author(s):  
C H Chang ◽  
W L Fodor ◽  
R A Flavell

Terminally differentiated plasma cells and mouse T cells do not express major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II genes although class II gene expression is observed in pre-B and mature B cells as well as in activated human T cells. Transient heterokaryons were prepared and analyzed to investigate the mechanisms of inactivation of MHC class II gene in mouse plasmacytoma cells and mouse T cells. The endogenous MHC class II genes in both mouse plasmacytoma cells and mouse T cells can be reactivated by factors present in B cells. This reactivation of class II gene is also observed by fusion with a human T cell line which expresses MHC class II genes, but not with a class II negative human T cell line. It appears that the loss of MHC class II gene expression during the terminal differentiation of B cells or T cell lineage is due to absence of positive regulatory factor(s) necessary for class II transcription.


2003 ◽  
Vol 197 (2) ◽  
pp. 195-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Fillatreau ◽  
David Gray

We investigated the mechanism of CD4 T cell accumulation in B cell follicles after immunization. Follicular T cell numbers were correlated with the number of B cells, indicating B cell control of the niche that T cells occupy. Despite this, we found no role for B cells in the follicular migration of T cells. Instead, T cells are induced to migrate into B cell follicles entirely as a result of interaction with dendritic cells (DCs). Migration relies on CD40-dependent maturation of DCs, as it did not occur in CD40-deficient mice but was reconstituted with CD40+ DCs. Restoration was not achieved by the activation of DCs with bacterial activators (e.g., lipopolysaccharide, CpG), but was by the injection of OX40L–huIgG1 fusion protein. Crucially, the up-regulation of OX40L (on antigen-presenting cells) and CXCR-5 (on T cells) are CD40-dependent events and we show that T cells do not migrate to follicles in immunized OX40-deficient mice.


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