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Selective activation of murine V beta 8.2 bearing T cells by Pseudomonas exotoxin A

D M Dixon1, R D LeGrand, M L Misfeldt

  • 1Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, University of Missouri-Columbia, School of Medicine 65212.

Cellular Immunology
|November 1, 1992
PubMed

We have determined that Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin A (PE) can selectively stimulate the proliferation of V beta bearing T lymphocytes. Murine thymocytes were fractionated by selective agglutination with peanut agglutinin (PNA) and the PNA- thymocytes, which represent mature thymocytes, were shown to be responsive to PE stimulation. In addition, mature peripheral T lymphocytes (nylon wool nonadherent splenocytes) were also observed to respond to PE stimulation. Both CD4+ and CD8+ splenic T lymphocyte populations proliferated in response to PE. Flow microfluorimetry analysis of PNA- thymocytes stimulated with PE indicated that V beta 8.2 bearing T cells were preferentially expanded. Thus, our data indicate that PE represents a microbial super antigen which stimulates murine thymocytes which bear the V beta 8.2 element of the T cell receptor.

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