The Role of Superantigen in Nasal Polypogenesis

Yoon, Byung Ki; Kim, Dae Woo

Review

Journal of Rhinology 2013;20(2):88-95.
Published online November 30, 2013.

The Role of Superantigen in Nasal Polypogenesis

Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Boramae Medical Center, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. kicubi@daum.net

비용의 병태생리에서 초항원의 역할

윤병기, 김대우

서울대학교 의과대학 이비인후과학교실, 서울특별시 보라매병원

Abstract

Superantigens are potent immunostimulatory exotoxins well known to be produced by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). These exotoxins have capacity to act as superantigens by binding with the variable beta(Vbeta) region of lymphocytes in chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis, bypassing normal antigen processing and directly stimulating a massive inflammatory response. Accumulated evidence is now convincing that S. aureus superantigens may play an important role in development of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis which are thought to skew the cytokine response towards a Th2 phenotype inducing eosinophilia and the production of polycolonal IgE. This review summarizes the current evidence of characteristics and its role superantigens in pathophysiology of nasal polyposis.

Key Words: Chronic Rhinosinusitis;Nasal Polyps;Staphylococcus aureus exotoxins;Superantigens