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pubmed:abstractText |
Overlapping peptides corresponding to the entire Nef (HIVBRU) sequence were tested for their relative abilities to block binding of staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs) to Raji cells. An internal sequence, Nef(123-160), blocked binding of two highly homologous SEs, SEA and SEE, while it was less effective against SEB and SEC1. Nef(123-160) bound directly class II DR antigens, as assessed by specific antibodies, and its binding was significantly inhibited by SEE, and also by SEA to a lesser degree. Purified Nef inhibited specific binding of SEA to Raji cells in a dose-dependent manner. Nef induced IL 2 production and proliferation by human mononuclear cells. Definitive expansion of specific V beta T cell populations was not observed, possibly due to lesser mitogenic activity of Nef relative to SEs. Thus, Nef may have mitogenic activity similar to that of superantigens.
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