Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is a multi system disorder resulting from superantigen-mediated cytokine production. Nearly 90% of the clinical cases of TSS arise due to an exotoxin, toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1), elaborated by toxigenic strains of Staphylococcus aureus. It is clearly established that besides antigen-specific signals a variety of costimulatory signals are required for full T...

Toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1), a superantigen produced by Staphylococcus aureus, is a causative agent of toxic shock syndrome (TSS). This superantigen is a potent stimulator of T cells and macrophages/monocytes, resulting in the release of cytokines that are implicated in the pathogenesis of TSS. This study characterizes a mutant TSST-1, derived by site-directed mutagenesis, that has an...

To probe encephalopathy pathogenesis during toxic shock syndrome (TSS), we investigated the fate of bloodborne TSS toxin-1 (TSST-1) as it moves through the choroid plexus epithelium that forms the main blood-cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) barrier and the effect that TSST-1 has on choroidal barrier properties and on cultured neuronal cell viability. TSST-1 showed a slow, diffusional movement across a...

The aim of the present study was to explore the relationship between stress and sport performance in a controlled setting. The experimental protocol used to induce stress in a basketball free throw was the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) and its control condition (Placebo-TSST). Participants (n = 19), novice basketball players but trained sportspersons, were exposed to two counterbalanced condi...

BACKGROUND Persistent carriers have a higher risk of Staphylococcus aureus infections than noncarriers but a lower risk of bacteremia-related death. Here, the role played by anti-staphylococcal antibodies was studied. METHODS Serum samples from 15 persistent carriers and 19 noncarriers were analyzed for immunoglobulin (Ig) G, IgA, and IgM binding to 19 S. aureus antigens, by means of Luminex ...

The symptoms of Kawasaki syndrome (KS) suggest a possible relationship between KS and superantigen(s). The infrequent occurrence of KS among young infants may be due to a passive maternal antibody. We investigated the antibody titers for superantigens (toxic shock syndrome toxin [TSST]-1, staphylococcal exotoxin B, and streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxins C and A) in 15 patients with KS who were <...

Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is primarily caused by toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) and staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB). These toxins belong to a family of pyrogenic toxin superantigens (PTSAgs) produced by Staphylococcus aureus and exhibit several shared biological properties, including the induction of massive cytokine release and Vbeta-specific T-cell proliferation. The crystal struct...

Staphylococcus aureus toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1) is involved in the pathogenesis of toxic shock syndrome and perhaps other staphylococcal diseases. Recently, the C-terminal part of the TSST-1 toxin has been shown to be responsible for mitogenic activity in animal models. We studied the role of the C-terminal structural unit of TSST-1 with regard to proliferation, cytokine release (tu...