SCID-hu mice provide an in vivo model for studying the events of normal intrathymic human T-cell development and differentiation. We injected SCID-hu mice with staphylococcal enterotoxins (SE) and determined their effects on the development and responsiveness of human T-cell populations defined by their expression of CD4 and CD8, and the type of V beta molecule in their T-cell receptors. After single intraperitoneal injections of SEB or SEE, we observed specific effects on thymic T cells expressing a cognate V beta T-cell receptor (TCR) (V beta 12.1 in the case of SEB-treated SCID-hu mice and V beta 8.1 in the case of SEE-treated mice) using both immunohistochemical staining of thymic frozen sections and flow cytometric analyses. An injection of SEB resulted in a 32% decrease in the total percentages of V beta 12.1+ cells in thymic sections after 2 days, with the greatest effect seen in the medulla, without a demonstrable effect on V beta 5.2/5.3+ or V beta 8.1+ cells. Fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis demonstrated that TCRhi thymocytes expressing a cognate V beta TCR declined transiently by 35% to 45% 1 to 2 days after the injection of SE. Analysis of thymic subpopulations showed decreases in the TCRhi CD4+8- and CD4-8+ cells and an increase in TCRlo CD4-8+ cells. Multiple injections of SE resulted in 50% to 60% decreases in cognate V beta TCR+ CD4+8- populations. Thymocytes prepared from SE-treated SCID-hu mice demonstrated specific anergy to the SE to which they had previously been exposed in vivo, but had a normal proliferative response to other superantigens in an in vitro assay. In contrast to the effects on thymic T cells, single injections of SE resulted in a twofold increase in the total numbers of circulating CD4+8- and CD4-8+ human T cells and a fourfold to eightfold increase in T cells expressing a cognate V beta TCR. Using SE as superantigens in SCID-hu mice, we have been able to induce antigen-specific clonal deletions, anergy, and proliferation of human T cells.