Impaired T cell proliferation and zeta chain phosphorylation after stimulation with staphylococcal enterotoxin-B in hemodialysis patients.

Background: Patients on regular hemodialysis treatment are in an immunodeficiency state. Several studies have shown defective T cell proliferation after stimulation with various agents. Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) is a MHC-dependent superantigen that triggers proliferation of a large proportion of T cells.