Repeated treatment with S. aureus superantigens expands the survival rate of Ehrlich ascites tumor bearing mice.

The bacterial superantigen Staphylococcal enterotoxin-A (SEA), produced by some strains of Staphylococcus aureus, causes proliferation of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes and cytokine production in vivo. SEA has been shown to be highly efficient for antibody-targeted superantegen immunotherapy for different tumor models. A candidate B-cell superantigen that has received considerable attention these days is staphylococcal protein-A (PA).

Superantigen-induced apoptotic death of tumor cells is mediated by cytotoxic lymphocytes, cytokines, and nitric oxide.

The bacterial superantigen staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA) is a potent inducer of CTL activity and cytokine production in vivo. Protein A (PA) of Staphylococcal aureus has been found to have diverse biological response modifying properties and to possess antitumor, antitoxic and antiparasitic effects. In this study we examined the anti-tumor effect of these two superantigens used separately as well as in combination in mice carrying the Ehrlich ascites tumor.