
<ArticleTitle>Induction of <prot>interleukin-8</prot> in human neutrophils after MHC class II cross-linking with superantigens.</ArticleTitle>
<AbstractText>Neutrophils have been shown to express major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC II) after stimulation. However, reports concerning the functional effect of MCH II expression are still lacking. In our hands, <prot>granulocyte-monocyte colony-stimulating factor</prot> (<prot>GM-CSF</prot>) alone and in combination with<prot> interferon (IFN)-gamma</prot>, but not <prot>IFN-gamma</prot> or <prot>interleukin (IL)-3</prot>, induced a significant level of expression of human leukocyte antigen DR on neutrophils. The addition of staphylococcal <prot>enterotoxin E</prot> to neutrophils resulted in a significant increase in <prot>IL-8</prot> production only after prestimulation with <prot>GM-CSF</prot> alone or in combination with <prot>IFN-gamma</prot> but had no effect on neutrophils preincubated with <prot>IFN-gamma</prot> alone or <prot>IL-3</prot>. Staphylococcal <prot>enterotoxin A</prot>, another bivalent superantigen, also stimulated production of <prot>IL-8</prot> by preincubated polymorphonuclear neutrophils, whereas staphylococcal <prot>enterotoxin A</prot> mutants that are not able to cross-link MHC II molecules failed to induce <prot>IL-8</prot> production. Taken together, our results clearly demonstrate that after induction of MHC II, neutrophils are able to respond to MHC II-specific stimulation. These findings support the ideas that the induced MHC II complex is completely functional and that neutrophils may be able to present antigens.</AbstractText>
