Cross-Reactive Antibodies Prevent the Lethal Effects of Staphylococcus Aureus Superantigens
Abstract
The exotoxins produced by Staphylococcus aureus, staphylococcal enterotoxins (SE) A-E and toxic shock syndrome toxin (TSST)-1, which are associated with serious diseases, including food poisoning and toxic shock syndrome, are termed superantigens (SAgs). To examine whether common antigenic epitopes were present and whether vaccination with 1 bacterial SAg could protect against challenge with a different SE or TSST-1, mice were vaccinated with SEA, SEE, SEC 1, or TSST-1 individually or in combination. Mice injected with a single toxin developed high antibody titers against other SAgs. Marked improvement in survival was observed when immunized mice were challenged with a heterologous toxin. Mice vaccinated with a mixture of toxins were fully protected against 1 or multiple toxin challenges, indicating no interference effects of multivalent vaccinations. More importantly, higher titers were found against each SAg with the multivalent vaccination than with injection with a single SAg. Thus, immunizations with 1 SAg can induce cross-protective antibodies to heterologous SAgs, and multicomponent vaccination can enhance antibody responses against each bacterial SAg.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1999
- Accession Number
- ADA373917
Entities
People
- Robert G Ulrich
- Ross D. Leclaire
- Sina Bavari
Organizations
- United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases