Superantigens (SAgs) are a group of virulent toxins that indiscriminately activate T-cells of the immune system causing system-wide inflammation and other serious, potentially fatal symptoms. They are not quite the same as antigens, though they are almost all have antigenic properties, but rather receive their name from their powers to induce the production of antibodies.

Symptoms

Characteristic sysmptoms of superantigen-mediated diseases include:

• fever
• mucous prduction
• diarrhoea
• vomiting
• shock leading to death

Chronic infection can cause autoimmune diseases and glomurelonephritis .

Pathophysiology

Superantigens are secreted as exotoxins by bacteria, alterantively viruses hijack our own molecular machinery to generate endotoxin forms of superantigens. They are mainly associated with species of Streptococcus and Staphylococcus infections, and are the contributing cause of toxic shock syndrome. Superantigens are also the suspected cause of numerous diseases displaying characteristic symptoms with unknown causes.

Rather than typical presentation by major histocompatibility complex type II molecules (MHC II) of antigen presenting cells to T-cell receptors (TCRs) inside specialised clefts, superantigens bind externally to the Vβ domain of the TCR and to the complementary chain of MHC II, causing inappropriate, antigen-independent T-cell activation. In a typical infection, 0.01% of the bodies T-cells are activated; superantigen-mediated infections commonly activate 5% and can reach levels of up to 25% T-cell activation. These T-cells are of all populations (T-helper cells, T-cytoxicity cells, T-suppressor cells and as yet unidentified populations of T-cells), and leads to a mass activation of multiple, often contradictory, chemical mediators that contribute to the general unwellness of an individual.

Research into superantigen treatment focuses on the use of polyspecific immunologlobulin G, anatgonistic peptides and toxoid vaccines.

Interestingly superantigens have been shown to prevent and heal autoimmune disorders in animal experiments, if the timing of administration is "just right".

Clinical notes

Diseases associated with superantigen production

• Food poisoning (Staphylococcus and Staphlycoccus)
• Toxic shock syndrome (Staphylococcus)
• Wegener's granulomatosis (Staphylococcus)
• Scarlet fever (Streptococcus)
• Yersinia pseudotuberculosis
• Mycoplasma arthriditis

Diseases in which superantigen production is suspected

• Kawasaki disease
• Allergic sinitus
• Cytomegalovirus (with HIV)
• Epstein-Barr Virus (with HIV)
• Type I diabetes mellitus
• vasculitus and other unesplained inflammatory diseases

External links

• Superantigen Web Database at Birbeck University