Superantigens produce intense immune responses by stimulating lymphocytes to produce which of the following?

• A. large amounts of cytokines
• B. complement proteins
• C. immunoglobulin E (IgE)
• D. antibodies against self-antigens

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand what superantigens are: they are a class of antigens that cause non-specific activation of T-cells, leading to an excessive immune response.
2. Recall that normal antigen presentation activates a small fraction of T-cells, but superantigens bypass this specificity and activate a large proportion of T-cells simultaneously.
3. Recognize that this massive T-cell activation results in the release of signaling molecules called cytokines, which mediate inflammation and immune responses.
4. Differentiate cytokines from other immune components such as complement proteins, immunoglobulin E (IgE), and antibodies, which have distinct roles in immunity.
5. Conclude that the intense immune response caused by superantigens is primarily due to the production of large amounts of cytokines by the activated lymphocytes.