Impact of Superantigen-Producing Bacteria on T Cells from Tonsillar Hyperplasia
<i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> and Group A Streptococcus (GAS) are common occupants of the tonsils and many strains produce potent exotoxins (mitogens) that directly target T cells, which could be a driver for tonsillar hyperplasia. Tonsil tissues from 41 patients were tested for these bac...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2019-06-01
|
| Series: | Pathogens |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/8/3/90 |
| _version_ | 1818038080046628864 |
|---|---|
| author | Fiona J Radcliff Sharon Waldvogel-Thurlow Fiona Clow Murali Mahadevan James Johnston Gen Li Thomas Proft Richard G Douglas John D Fraser |
| author_facet | Fiona J Radcliff Sharon Waldvogel-Thurlow Fiona Clow Murali Mahadevan James Johnston Gen Li Thomas Proft Richard G Douglas John D Fraser |
| author_sort | Fiona J Radcliff |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> and Group A Streptococcus (GAS) are common occupants of the tonsils and many strains produce potent exotoxins (mitogens) that directly target T cells, which could be a driver for tonsillar hyperplasia. Tonsil tissues from 41 patients were tested for these bacteria in conjunction with profiling of B and T cells by flow cytometry. <i>S. aureus</i> and GAS were detected in tonsil tissue from 44% and 7%, respectively, of patients by bacteriological culture; immuno-histology showed bacteria in close proximity to both B and T lymphocytes. The presence of tonsillar <i>S. aureus</i> did not alter B or T cell populations, whereas peripheral blood mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells were significantly increased in <i>S. aureus</i> culture positive individuals (<i>p</i> < 0.006). Alterations of tonsil CD4<sup>+</sup> TCR Vβ family members relative to peripheral blood were evident in 29 patients. Three patients had strong TCR Vβ skewing indicative of recent exposure to superantigens, their tonsils contained mitogenic bacteria, and supernatants from these bacteria were used to partially recapitulate the skewing profile in vitro, supporting the notion that superantigens can target tonsillar T cells in situ. Tonsils are a reservoir for superantigen-producing bacteria with the capacity to alter the composition and function of key immune cells. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T07:37:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-09b06b73edee4eb8b6de73a4ef5964f9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-0817 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T07:37:03Z |
| publishDate | 2019-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pathogens |
| spelling | doaj.art-09b06b73edee4eb8b6de73a4ef5964f92022-12-22T01:57:24ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172019-06-01839010.3390/pathogens8030090pathogens8030090Impact of Superantigen-Producing Bacteria on T Cells from Tonsillar HyperplasiaFiona J Radcliff0Sharon Waldvogel-Thurlow1Fiona Clow2Murali Mahadevan3James Johnston4Gen Li5Thomas Proft6Richard G Douglas7John D Fraser8Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, University of Auckland, Auckland 1023, New ZealandDepartment of Surgery, University of Auckland, Auckland 1023, New ZealandDepartment of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, University of Auckland, Auckland 1023, New ZealandDepartment of Surgery, University of Auckland, Auckland 1023, New ZealandDepartment of Surgery, University of Auckland, Auckland 1023, New ZealandDepartment of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, University of Auckland, Auckland 1023, New ZealandDepartment of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, University of Auckland, Auckland 1023, New ZealandDepartment of Surgery, University of Auckland, Auckland 1023, New ZealandDepartment of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, University of Auckland, Auckland 1023, New Zealand<i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> and Group A Streptococcus (GAS) are common occupants of the tonsils and many strains produce potent exotoxins (mitogens) that directly target T cells, which could be a driver for tonsillar hyperplasia. Tonsil tissues from 41 patients were tested for these bacteria in conjunction with profiling of B and T cells by flow cytometry. <i>S. aureus</i> and GAS were detected in tonsil tissue from 44% and 7%, respectively, of patients by bacteriological culture; immuno-histology showed bacteria in close proximity to both B and T lymphocytes. The presence of tonsillar <i>S. aureus</i> did not alter B or T cell populations, whereas peripheral blood mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells were significantly increased in <i>S. aureus</i> culture positive individuals (<i>p</i> < 0.006). Alterations of tonsil CD4<sup>+</sup> TCR Vβ family members relative to peripheral blood were evident in 29 patients. Three patients had strong TCR Vβ skewing indicative of recent exposure to superantigens, their tonsils contained mitogenic bacteria, and supernatants from these bacteria were used to partially recapitulate the skewing profile in vitro, supporting the notion that superantigens can target tonsillar T cells in situ. Tonsils are a reservoir for superantigen-producing bacteria with the capacity to alter the composition and function of key immune cells.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/8/3/90superantigen<i>Staphylococcus aureus</i><i>Streptococcus pyogenes</i>Group A StreptococcusTCR Vβmucosal-associated invariant T cellsrecurrent tonsillitisobstructive sleep apneatonsillar hyperplasia |
| spellingShingle | Fiona J Radcliff Sharon Waldvogel-Thurlow Fiona Clow Murali Mahadevan James Johnston Gen Li Thomas Proft Richard G Douglas John D Fraser Impact of Superantigen-Producing Bacteria on T Cells from Tonsillar Hyperplasia Pathogens superantigen <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> <i>Streptococcus pyogenes</i> Group A Streptococcus TCR Vβ mucosal-associated invariant T cells recurrent tonsillitis obstructive sleep apnea tonsillar hyperplasia |
| title | Impact of Superantigen-Producing Bacteria on T Cells from Tonsillar Hyperplasia |
| title_full | Impact of Superantigen-Producing Bacteria on T Cells from Tonsillar Hyperplasia |
| title_fullStr | Impact of Superantigen-Producing Bacteria on T Cells from Tonsillar Hyperplasia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Impact of Superantigen-Producing Bacteria on T Cells from Tonsillar Hyperplasia |
| title_short | Impact of Superantigen-Producing Bacteria on T Cells from Tonsillar Hyperplasia |
| title_sort | impact of superantigen producing bacteria on t cells from tonsillar hyperplasia |
| topic | superantigen <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> <i>Streptococcus pyogenes</i> Group A Streptococcus TCR Vβ mucosal-associated invariant T cells recurrent tonsillitis obstructive sleep apnea tonsillar hyperplasia |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/8/3/90 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT fionajradcliff impactofsuperantigenproducingbacteriaontcellsfromtonsillarhyperplasia AT sharonwaldvogelthurlow impactofsuperantigenproducingbacteriaontcellsfromtonsillarhyperplasia AT fionaclow impactofsuperantigenproducingbacteriaontcellsfromtonsillarhyperplasia AT muralimahadevan impactofsuperantigenproducingbacteriaontcellsfromtonsillarhyperplasia AT jamesjohnston impactofsuperantigenproducingbacteriaontcellsfromtonsillarhyperplasia AT genli impactofsuperantigenproducingbacteriaontcellsfromtonsillarhyperplasia AT thomasproft impactofsuperantigenproducingbacteriaontcellsfromtonsillarhyperplasia AT richardgdouglas impactofsuperantigenproducingbacteriaontcellsfromtonsillarhyperplasia AT johndfraser impactofsuperantigenproducingbacteriaontcellsfromtonsillarhyperplasia |