Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a rare hyperinflammatory disease occurring several weeks after SARS-CoV-2 infection. The clinical similarities between MIS-C and the toxic shock syndrome, together with the preferential expansion of T cells with a T-cell receptor variable chain (TCRV ) skewing, suggested a superantigen theory of MIS-C. For instance, recent in silico modelling evidenced the presence of a highly conserved motif within SARS-CoV-2 spike protein similar in structure to the superantigenic fragment of staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB). However, experimental data on the superantigenic activity of the SARS-CoV-2 spike have not yet been provided. Here, we assessed the superantigenic activity of the SARS-CoV-2 spike by analysing inflammatory cytokine production in both Jurkat cells and the peripheral blood CD4+ T cells stimulated with the SARS-CoV-2 spike or SEB as a control. We found that, unlike SEB, the SARS-CoV-2 spike does not exhibit an intrinsic superantigen-like activity.

SARS-CoV-2 spike does not possess intrinsic superantigen-like inflammatory activity / Amormino, Carola; Tedeschi, Valentina; Paldino, Giorgia; Arcieri, Stefano; Fiorillo, Maria Teresa; Paiardini, Alessandro; Tuosto, Loretta; Kunkl, Martina. - In: CELLS. - ISSN 2073-4409. - 11:16(2022). [10.3390/cells11162526]

SARS-CoV-2 spike does not possess intrinsic superantigen-like inflammatory activity

Amormino, Carola
Primo
;
Tedeschi, Valentina;Paldino, Giorgia;Arcieri, Stefano;Fiorillo, Maria Teresa;Paiardini, Alessandro;Tuosto, Loretta
;
Kunkl, Martina
Ultimo
2022

Abstract

Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a rare hyperinflammatory disease occurring several weeks after SARS-CoV-2 infection. The clinical similarities between MIS-C and the toxic shock syndrome, together with the preferential expansion of T cells with a T-cell receptor variable chain (TCRV ) skewing, suggested a superantigen theory of MIS-C. For instance, recent in silico modelling evidenced the presence of a highly conserved motif within SARS-CoV-2 spike protein similar in structure to the superantigenic fragment of staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB). However, experimental data on the superantigenic activity of the SARS-CoV-2 spike have not yet been provided. Here, we assessed the superantigenic activity of the SARS-CoV-2 spike by analysing inflammatory cytokine production in both Jurkat cells and the peripheral blood CD4+ T cells stimulated with the SARS-CoV-2 spike or SEB as a control. We found that, unlike SEB, the SARS-CoV-2 spike does not exhibit an intrinsic superantigen-like activity.
2022
SARS-CoV-2 spike; SEB; CD4+ T cells; superantigen; MIS-C
01 Pubblicazione su rivista::01a Articolo in rivista
SARS-CoV-2 spike does not possess intrinsic superantigen-like inflammatory activity / Amormino, Carola; Tedeschi, Valentina; Paldino, Giorgia; Arcieri, Stefano; Fiorillo, Maria Teresa; Paiardini, Alessandro; Tuosto, Loretta; Kunkl, Martina. - In: CELLS. - ISSN 2073-4409. - 11:16(2022). [10.3390/cells11162526]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11573/1652973
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