The effect of immunization with a 14‐kda streptococcal antigen on primate t cell and b cell responses

Abstract

A streptococcal antigen (SA) of 185 kDa was isolated from Streptococcus mutans and this antigen induced in vitro helper, suppressor and contrasuppressor activities with primate peripheral blood lymphocytes. The 185-kDa SA was then treated by sodium dodecyl sulfate and yielded a 4-kDa SA which was capable of eliciting only helper activity. We have now cleaved the 185-kDa SA with cyanogen bromide, in an attempt to identify suppressor and contrasuppressor determinants. A 14-kDa SA was separated from the cyanogen bromide digest and its ability to elicit T cell and B cell functional activities was tested in rhesus monkeys. Whereas the 185-kDa SA (and 4-kDa SA) elicited high serum anti-SA antibodies and the CD4 cells showed an increase in DNA synthesis, this was not demonstrable with the 14-kDa SA. However, the 14-kDa SA, unlike the 185-kDa SA, activated a significant proportion of CD4 and CD8 cells to bind the Vicia villosa lectin (VV) and this is a characteristic feature of contrasuppressor cells. We then studied the effect of sequential immunization of monkeys with the 14-kDa SA, followed by the 185-kDa SA. The results of this showed suppression of the CD4 proliferative response, in the presence of a normal antibody production. We suggest that the split tolerance between the T cell proliferative and B cell differentiating functions might be interpreted on the basis of suppressor CD8 cells inhibiting the CD4 proliferative phase and the VV-adherent CD8 cells contrasuppressing B cell antibody formation.

Endocrine disruption by PFAS: A major concern associated with legacy and replacement substances

“…It is increasingly recognized that endocrine disruptors (EDs) are chemicals of great concern for human health and growing interest has emerged around these substances in the last decade, when they started to enter into the international chemical policy arena (82). Since then, many efforts have been made to rapidly gain scientific knowledge on the impact of EDs on human health (83)(84)(85)(86) and the environment (87)(88)(89)(90). The growing number of these substances (greater than 1000) that involves well-known chemicals such as Phthalates, Polychlorinated biphenyls, DDT and Bisphenol A, has recently been expanded with the inclusion of PFAS, due to their documented interference with hormone function in humans and wildlife (91)(92)(93)(94).…”

Separation and characterization of a 14,000-dalton cyanogen bromide-generated peptide from a 185,000-dalton streptococcal antigen

“…It seems, therefore, that whereas the 14K CnBr-cleaved peptide is not immunogenic in mice, it can induce either a primary response when followed by the 185K SA or a secondary response when preceded by immunization with the 185K SA. The cellular basis for the 14K SA responses has been investigated with nonhuman primates, and results suggest that the 14K SA can induce binding by the lectin Vicia villosa of CD8 cells which may function as contrasuppressor cells in antibody formation (2,4,12).…”