Possible role of superantigens in inducing autoimmunity in pemphigus patients |
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Authors: | Sajad A DAR Shukla DAS Sambit N BHATTACHARYA Vishnampettai G RAMACHANDRAN Tanzeel AHMED Basu Dev BANERJEE Sidharth SONTHALIA Vikas SOOD Akhil C BANERJEA |
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Institution: | 1. Departments of Microbiology;2. Dermatology;3. Biochemistry, University College of Medical Sciences (University of Delhi) and Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital;4. National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi, India |
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Abstract: | The diagnostic and pathological relevance of anti‐desmoglein autoantibodies in common forms of pemphigus has been well established, and T cells have been shown to play a role in the onset and progression of these diseases. The role of superantigens in provoking polyclonal activation of T cells with many different fine specificities, possibly including autoreactive T cells and T‐cell mediated autoantibody response, is unknown. Further, abnormal T‐cell function may lead to opportunistic infections particularly with Candida. The response of T cells of pemphigus patients to recall antigens of these opportunists is not clear. The aim of this study was to investigate the in vitro response of T lymphocytes from pemphigus patients to common bacterial superantigens such as streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin A and staphylococcal enterotoxin B, and recall antigens such as Candida antigen. Changes in CD3+CD4+ and CD3+CD8+ T‐cell sub‐populations and expression of naive/memory markers (CD45RA+/RO+) on different T cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. Significant elevation in CD3+CD4+ and expression of the memory (CD45RO+) markers on these cells was observed both in pemphigus vulgaris and pemphigus foliaceus patients, as compared to healthy controls, upon stimulation with streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin A and staphylococcal enterotoxin B. However, only memory T cells (CD45RO+) were significantly increased upon Candida antigen stimulation. Our study suggests that CD4+ memory T lymphocytes may modulate the pathogenic autoantibody response in pemphigus patients, and also emphasizes the possibility that the superantigen‐reactive T cells participate in the triggering of autoimmunity in pemphigus. |
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Keywords: | autoimmunity pemphigus recall antigens superantigens T cells |
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