Superantigenic activity of toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 is resistant to heating and digestive enzymes.

Abstract

AIMS:

To elucidate the stability of superantigenic activity and pathogenesis of toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1) and staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) against heating and digestive enzymes.

METHODS AND RESULTS:

Purified TSST-1 and SEA were treated with heating, pepsin and trypsin that are related to food cooking, stomach and intestine conditions. The integrity, superantigenic activity and toxicity of treated TSST-1 and SEA were analysed by Western blotting, spleen cell culture, cytokine assay and toxic shock models. Both TSST-1 and SEA showed strong resistance to heating, pepsin and trypsin digestion. Furthermore, the treated TSST-1 showed significant higher induction of interferon-γ and toxic shock compared with that of SEA. Pepsin- or trypsin-digested TSST-1 fragments still showed significant superantigenic and lethal shock toxicities.

CONCLUSIONS:

The superantigenic activity of TSST-1 was stable to heating and digestive enzymes. Pepsin- and trypsin-digested TSST-1 fragments still showed superantigenic and lethal shock activities, indicating that digested TSST-1 could cross epithelial cells and induce systemic toxicity.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY:

This study found, for the first time, that pepsin- or trypsin-digested smaller TSST-1 retained significant superantigenic and lethal shock activities. The different resistance of TSST-1 and SEA participates in the different pathogenic activities during food poisoning and toxic shock syndrome.

• Authors: S-J Li, D-L Hu, E K Maina, K Shinagawa, K Omoe, A Nakane
• Journal: Journal of applied microbiology (J Appl Microbiol) Vol. 110 Issue 3 Pg. 729-36 (Mar 2011) ISSN: 1365-2672 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 21255209 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Applied Microbiology © 2011 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Chemical References

• Bacterial Toxins
• Enterotoxins
• Superantigens
• enterotoxin F, Staphylococcal
• enterotoxin A, Staphylococcal
• Trypsin
• Pepsin A

Topics

• Animals
• Bacterial Toxins (metabolism, pharmacology)
• Cell Survival (drug effects)
• Cells, Cultured
• Enterotoxins (metabolism, pharmacology)
• Hot Temperature
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred C57BL
• Pepsin A (metabolism)
• Protein Stability
• Superantigens (metabolism, pharmacology)
• Trypsin (metabolism)