Superantigens: their role in infectious diseases.

In the last 10 years many of the superantigens of the microbial world have been defined and the mechanisms of cellular interaction between lymphocytes and antigen presenting cells has been elucidated in great detail. The consequences of superantigen stimulation of the immune system, though less well defined, can be considered in three separate stages: T-cell proliferation, apoptosis, and recovery. Understanding these stages may explain why diverse superantigens may cause markedly different clinical processes ranging from acute shock to chronic arthritis and may form the basis for novel treatments of these diverse diseases.