Prevention and reversal of superantigen-induced anergy by contact allergen exposure.

The superantigen Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) and the contact allergen 2,4-dinitrofluorbenzene (DNFB) both react with V beta 8+ T-cells delivering distinct signals. Pre-treatment with DNFB painted onto the same skin site where SEB was to be injected, prevented the induction of anergy in V beta + T-cells that was otherwise induced after SEB had been injected intradermally over a period of 2 weeks. Application of the irritant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) instead of DNFB did not exert this effect. Application of DNFB at a site distant from the site where SEB was injected resulted in a much weaker inhibitory influence on the induction of anergy by SEB. Established anergy of V beta 8+ T-cells (proliferative non-responsiveness to SEB in vitro that could be overcome by addition of exogenous interleukin 2 (IL-2)) could be largely reversed by repeated cutaneous exposure to DNFB painted to the site where SEB had been injected before. The moderate decrease of V beta 8+ T-cells normally induced by SEB-treatment was also partially prevented by DNFB pre-treatment. The data indicate the importance of the sequence of signals delivered to T cells and the plasticity of the responsiveness of this cell type.