The superantigenic toxin of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis: a novel virulence factor?

• Published in: International journal of medical microbiology Vol. 290; no. 4; pp. 477 - 482
• Main Authors: Carnoy, C., Müller-Alouf, H., Desreumaux, P., Mullet, C., Grangette, C., Simonet, M.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Jena Elsevier GmbH 01.10.2000; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Bacterial Proteins - toxicity; Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Microbiology; Mitogens - toxicity; Pathogenicity, virulence, toxins, bacteriocins, pyrogens, host-bacteria relations, miscellaneous strains; superantigenic toxin; Superantigens - toxicity; Virulence; Yersinia pseudotuberculosis; Yersinia pseudotuberculosis - pathogenicity; superantigenic toxin; Yersinia pseudotuberculosis; Pathogenicity; Toxin; Superantigen; Bacteria; Review; Enterobacteriaceae
• ISSN: 1438-4221; 1618-0607
• DOI: 10.1016/S1438-4221(00)80069-7

Recently, a superantigenic toxin designated YPM ( Yersinia pseudotuberculosis-derived mitogen) was characterized in the supernatant of Y. pseudotuberculosis, a Gram-negative bacterium involved in human enteric infection. To assess the role of YPM in pathophysiology of Y. pseudotuberculosis, a superantigen-deficient mutant was constructed and its virulence was tested in a murine model of infection and compared with the virulence of the wild-type strain (wt). Determination of the survival rate after intravenous inoculation of mice clearly demonstrated a higher survival rate when animals were infected with the superantigen-deficient strain. This decreased virulence of the mutant strain could not be explained by a lower bacterial growth rate in spleen, liver or lung of infected animals. Therefore, production of IFNγ, TNFα, IL-2, IL-6 and IL-10 was followed during the course of infection by cytokine assay in the blood and mRNA detection in the spleen. IL-6 and IFNγ were the two major cytokines detected whereas TNFα production was never observed.