Vasculitis & polymyalgia rheumatica
Impaired humoral and T helper cell responses to toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) in granulomatosis with polyangiitis
Authors' conclusion
Impaired humoral immunity against Vβ2-restricted superantigens in SA+ GPA patients may lead to insufficient clearance of TSST-1. TSST-1-driven IL-21 production could enhance ANCA production and promote disease progression. Reduced Vβ2+Th cells may increase relapse risk, emphasizing their potential value as a tool for monitoring disease progression.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) in remission and healthy controlsremission GPA patients and healthy controls (HCs)
- Comparison
- Remission GPA patients with nasal Staphylococcus aureus (SA) carriage vs HCs
- Outcome
- Immune response to S. aureus-derived TSST-1: plasma anti-TSST-1 IgG and TSST-1-reactive CD4+ Th (Vβ2+Th) cells
Methodological detailscase-control comparison, ELISA, flow cytometry, in vitro PBMC stimulation
- Case-control comparison
- ELISA
- Flow cytometry
- In vitro PBMC stimulation
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Plasma anti-TSST-1 IgG, SA+ GPA vs HCs
- lower in SA+
- Numbers of circulating Vβ2+Th cells, SA+ GPA vs HCs
- reduced in SA+
- Frequency of Vβ2+Th cells with peripheral helper T cell phenotype (TPh; PD-1HighCXCR5Neg), SA+ GPA vs HCs
- increased in SA+
Further findings
IL-21 production in Th cells after TSST-1 stimulation (SA+ patients) · 14 days of in vitro stimulation
- TSST-1 stimulation enhanced IL-21 production in Th cells from SA+ patients
PR3-ANCA production in vitro · 14 days of in vitro stimulation
- TSST-1 induced PR3-ANCA production in a subset of GPA patients
Relapse-free survival and circulating Vβ2+Th cells (SA+ GPA)
- Numbers of circulating Vβ2+Th cells correlated positively with increased relapse-free survival in SA+ GPA patients
Original publication
Impaired humoral and T helper cell responses to toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) in granulomatosis with polyangiitis. Rheumatology (Oxford). Published 18 August 2025. doi:10.
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