Update on molecular diversity and multipathogenicity of staphylococcal superantigen toxins
Open Access
- 18 May 2021
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Springer Science and Business Media LLC in Animal Diseases
- Vol. 1 (1), 1-15
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s44149-021-00007-7
Abstract
Staphylococcal superantigen (SAg) toxins are the most notable virulence factors associated with Staphylococcus aureus, which is a pathogen associated with serious community and hospital acquired infections in humans and various diseases in animals. Recently, SAg toxins have become a superfamily with 29 types, including staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) with emetic activity, SE-like toxins (SEls) that do not induce emesis in primate models or have yet not been tested, and toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1). SEs and SEls can be subdivided into classical types (SEA to SEE) and novel types (SEG to SElY, SE01, SE02, SEl26 and SEl27). The genes of SAg toxins are located in diverse accessory genetic elements and share certain structural and biological properties. SAg toxins are heat-stable proteins that exhibit pyrogenicity, superantigenicity and capacity to induce lethal hypersensitivity to endotoxin in humans and animals. They have multiple pathogenicities that can interfere with normal immune function of host, increase the chances of survival and transmission of pathogenic bacteria in host, consequently contribute to the occurrence and development of various infections, persistent infections or food poisoning. This review focuses on the following aspects of SAg toxins: (1) superfamily members of classic and novelty discovered staphylococcal SAgs; (2) diversity of gene locations and molecular structural characteristics; (3) biological characteristics and activities; (4) multi-pathogenicity of SAgs in animal and human diseases, including bovine mastitis, swine sepsis, abscesses and skin edema in pig, arthritis and septicemia in poultry, and nosocomial infections and food-borne diseases in humans.Keywords
This publication has 102 references indexed in Scilit:
- Recurrent infections and immune evasion strategies of Staphylococcus aureusCurrent Opinion in Microbiology, 2012
- Genotypic characterization by polymerase chain reaction of Staphylococcus aureus isolates associated with bovine mastitisVeterinary Microbiology, 2011
- Methicillin-Susceptible Staphylococcus aureus Endocarditis Isolates Are Associated With Clonal Complex 30 Genotype and a Distinct Repertoire of Enterotoxins and AdhesinsThe Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2011
- Staphylococcal Superantigens Cause Lethal Pulmonary Disease in RabbitsThe Journal of Infectious Diseases, 2010
- Secreted virulence factor comparison between methicillin-resistant and methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus, and its relevance to atopic dermatitisJournal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 2010
- Inhibition of NK cell activity by IL-17 allows vaccinia virus to induce severe skin lesions in a mouse model of eczema vaccinatumThe Journal of Experimental Medicine, 2009
- Superantigen Profile ofStaphylococcus aureusIsolates from Patients with Steroid‐Resistant Atopic DermatitisClinical Infectious Diseases, 2008
- α and β Chains of Hemoglobin Inhibit Production of Staphylococcus aureus ExotoxinsBiochemistry, 2007
- A Novel Loop Domain in Superantigens Extends their T Cell Receptor Recognition SiteJournal of Molecular Biology, 2007
- Antimicrobial resistance profile of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from raw meat: A research for methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)Food Control, 2007