Influence of streptolysin S on lymphocyte functions.

Streptolysin S, which was found to be cytotoxic for mouse and human lymphocytes and particularly for their T subpopulation, was also shown to affect some of the functions ascribed to T lymphocytes. In vitro studies demonstrated that streptolysin S-pretreated lymphocytes exhibited reduced responsiveness to phytohemagglutinin and decreased lymphokine production. Streptolysin S could also alter the immune response of mice in vivo. It induced suppression of the immune response to T-dependent antigen (SRBC) but had not influence on response to T-independent antigen (S III). The in vitro and in vivo studies suggest that streptolysin S can impair the function of T lymphocytes or, more precisely, of some subpopulation of T cells.