1. Superantigen production by Staphylococcus aureus in psoriasis.
- Author
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Sayama K, Midorikawa K, Hanakawa Y, Sugai M, and Hashimoto K
- Subjects
- Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Blotting, Western, Enterotoxins analysis, Enterotoxins genetics, Exfoliatins analysis, Exfoliatins genetics, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Pharynx microbiology, Polymerase Chain Reaction, Skin microbiology, Staphylococcus aureus genetics, Superantigens analysis, Superantigens genetics, Bacterial Toxins, Psoriasis immunology, Psoriasis microbiology, Staphylococcal Infections immunology, Staphylococcus aureus immunology, Staphylococcus aureus metabolism, Superantigens biosynthesis
- Abstract
Background: Activation of T cells is believed to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Recently, it has been proposed that psoriasis is a T-cell-mediated autoimmune reaction triggered by bacterial superantigen., Objective: We investigated whether patients with chronic plaque psoriasis bear superantigen-producing Staphylococcus aureus on the skin or the throat., Methods: S. aureus producing exfoliative toxin, staphylococcal enterotoxin B or toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 was isolated from the skin and throat of 100 psoriasis patients using Western blot analysis and polymerase chain reaction., Results: Only 5, 4 and 9 patients had super-antigen producing S. aureus identified on lesional skin, nonlesional skin and throat, respectively. The vast majority of patients did not bear superantigen-producing S. aureus., Conclusion: We believe that superantigens are not essential in sustaining disease activity but may, instead, be exacerbating or triggering factors for some psoriasis patients.
- Published
- 1998
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