Binding of staphylococcal enterotoxin A to accessory cells is a requirement for its ability to activate human T cells.

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) activates human T cells at extremely low concentrations corresponding to 1 to 5 molecules/T cell. SEA, in contrast to other polyclonal activators, is absolutely dependent on accessory cells to interact with and activate T cells. Only cells that can bind SEA can act as accessory cells. Monocytes, B cells, and B lymphomas have these properties. Cells of the EBV-transformed B lymphoma Raji are particularly efficient as accessory cells. T cells do not bind soluble SEA. Probably the SEA molecule has to be attached to the accessory cell to become mitogenic. It is presently not known whether the T cell recognizes a molecular complex between the SEA molecule and the putative receptor moiety on the accessory cell or the SEA molecule itself modified by its binding to the accessory cell.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: