Marrack P, Kappler J
Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Medicine, Denver, CO.
Science. 1990 May 11;248(4956):705-11. doi: 10.1126/science.2185544.
Staphylococcal enterotoxins and a group of related proteins made by Streptococci cause food poisoning and shock in man and animals. These proteins share an ability to bind to human and mouse major histocompatibility complex proteins. The complex ligand so formed has specificity for a particular part of T cell receptors, V beta, and by engaging V beta can stimulate many T cells. It is likely that some or all of the pathological effects of these toxins are caused by their ability to activate quickly so many T cells. It is also possible that encounters with such toxins have caused mice, at least, to evolve mechanisms for varying their T cell V beta repertoires, such that they are less susceptible to attack by the toxins.
葡萄球菌肠毒素以及一组由链球菌产生的相关蛋白可导致人和动物食物中毒及休克。这些蛋白具有与人及小鼠主要组织相容性复合体蛋白结合的能力。如此形成的复合配体对T细胞受体的特定部分Vβ具有特异性，并且通过与Vβ结合可刺激许多T细胞。这些毒素的部分或全部病理效应很可能是由它们快速激活如此多T细胞的能力所导致的。至少对于小鼠而言，接触此类毒素也有可能促使其进化出改变T细胞Vβ库的机制，从而使其较不易受到毒素的攻击。
