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  • Title: Hepatic injury and lethal shock in galactosamine-sensitized mice induced by the superantigen staphylococcal enterotoxin B.
    Author: Nagaki M, Muto Y, Ohnishi H, Yasuda S, Sano K, Naito T, Maeda T, Yamada T, Moriwaki H.
    Journal: Gastroenterology; 1994 Feb; 106(2):450-8. PubMed ID: 8299910.
    Abstract:
    BACKGROUND/AIMS: Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) acts as a superantigen binding to class II major histocompatibility complex proteins, and this complex stimulates T cells. The aim of this study was to investigate the pathogenic effects of SEB on hepatic injury and lethal shock in mice. METHODS: SEB was administered to D-galactosamine (GalN)-sensitized mice, and the degree of liver injury and levels of circulating cytokines were determined. In vitro cytokine production in response to SEB was also investigated. RESULTS: Intraperitoneal administration of SEB (50 micrograms) caused lethal shock (50% mortality) associated with massive hepatic necrosis in GalN-sensitized mice, with no mortality on injection of up to 100 micrograms SEB alone. Within 2 hours after injection of SEB, serum tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) levels reached a peak, followed by high levels of serum interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) up to 10 hours after injection. Passive immunization with anti-TNF-alpha/beta-neutralizing monoclonal antibody (mAb) protected GalN-sensitized mice from the lethal effects of SEB, with less protection with anti-IFN-gamma-neutralizing mAb. SEB induced the production of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma in a dose-dependent manner from splenic mononuclear cells in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that SEB contributes to lethal shock associated with severe hepatic injury in GalN-sensitized mice and suggest that TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma produced in response to SEB may be mediators of the lethal toxicity and hepatotoxicity of SEB.
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