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. 1997 Aug;65(8):3485–3488. doi: 10.1128/iai.65.8.3485-3488.1997

Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin lacks superantigenic activity but induces an interleukin-6 response from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

T Krakauer 1, B Fleischer 1, D L Stevens 1, B A McClane 1, B G Stiles 1
PMCID: PMC175495  PMID: 9234818

Abstract

We investigated the potential superantigenic properties of Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin (CPE) on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). In contrast to the findings of a previous report (P. Bowness, P. A. H. Moss, H. Tranter, J. I. Bell, and A. J. McMichael, J. Exp. Med. 176:893-896, 1992), two different, biologically active preparations of CPE had no mitogenic effects on PBMC. Furthermore, PBMC incubated with various concentrations of CPE did not elicit interleukin-1, interleukin-2, gamma interferon, or tumor necrosis factor alpha or beta, which are cytokines commonly associated with superantigenic stimulation. However, CPE did cause a dose-related release of interleukin-6 from PBMC cultures.

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Selected References

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