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Full-Text Articles in Pathogenic Microbiology
Streptococcus Pyogenes Superantigens: Studies Into Host Specificity And Functional Redundancy, Adrienne T. Wakabayashi
Streptococcus Pyogenes Superantigens: Studies Into Host Specificity And Functional Redundancy, Adrienne T. Wakabayashi
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository
Streptococcus pyogenes is a human-specific globally prominent bacterial pathogen that secretes extremely potent exotoxins known as superantigens. Superantigens function to overstimulate T lymphocytes, capable of inducing excessive cytokine responses, potentially leading to toxic shock syndrome. Each strain of S. pyogenes encodes multiple distinct superantigens, yet the reasons why S. pyogenes retains multiple superantigens has remained elusive. Using a murine model of acute nasopharyngeal infection, the role of each superantigen encoded by S. pyogenes MGAS5005 was evaluated using isogenic superantigen-deletion or -complemented strains, and passive immunization with superantigen-neutralizing antibodies. The superantigen SpeG, and likely SpeJ, were not required for infection. However, …
The Role Of Superantigens During Staphylococcus Aureus Nasal Colonization And Infection, Stacey Xu
The Role Of Superantigens During Staphylococcus Aureus Nasal Colonization And Infection, Stacey Xu
Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository
Superantigens (SAgs) are potent toxins produced by bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus that function to overactivate T cells resulting in massive cytokine production and immune activation. Despite decades of research on the structure and function of these proteins, as well as their role in severe diseases such as toxic shock syndrome, the question as to why strains of S. aureus produce SAgs and the role that they play in the life cycle of these bacteria remains unanswered. The contribution of SAgs towards pathogenicity and bacterial survival in vivo were assessed using isogenic SAg deletion knockouts in conjunction with SAg-sensitive humanized …