Abstract

To investigate whether vaccination with nontoxic mutant toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (mTSST-1) can protect against Staphylococcus aureus infection, mice were vaccinated with mTSST-1 and challenged with viable S. aureus. Survival in the mTSST-1–vaccinated group was higher, and bacterial counts in organs were significantly lower than those of control mice. Passive transfer of mTSST-1–specific antibodies also provided protection against S. aureus–induced septic death. Interferon (IFN)–γ production in the serum samples and spleens from vaccinated mice was significantly decreased compared with that in controls, whereas interleukin-10 titers were significantly higher in vaccinated mice. IFN-γ and tumor necrosis factor–α production in vitro were significantly inhibited by serum samples from mTSST-1–immunized mice but not from control mice. These results suggest that vaccination with mTSST-1 devoid of superantigenic properties provides protection against S. aureus infection and that the protection might be mediated by TSST-1–neutralizing antibodies as well as by the down-regulation of IFN-γ production

You do not currently have access to this article.