Effect of the extract from salivary glands of Lucilia sericata on human neutrophils.
OBJECTIVE
There is incomplete information about host immune response to maggot therapy, nowadays increasingly used to clean chronic wounds from necrotic debris and infection. Maggots are applied to the wound during the inflammatory phase. At the same time neutrophils infiltrate the inflammatory site as the first defense line of the organism. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) and reactive oxygen species, generated during the respiratory burst by neutrophils, are the key players participating in microbial killing as well as in signalling pathways.


OBJECTIVE
We studied the effect of an extract from salivary glands (SGE) of Lucilia sericata (L. sericata) on opsonized zymosan stimulated whole blood chemiluminescence (CL), superoxide generation and MPO release from human neutrophils.


METHODS
Formation of reactive oxygen species in whole blood was determined by luminol-enhanced CL. superoxide generation was measured as superoxide dismutase inhibitable reduction of cytochrome c, MPO activity as the oxidation of o-dianisidine in the presence of hydrogen peroxide.


RESULTS
Crude SG extract of L. sericata had no significant effect either on superoxide generation and MPO release from isolated unstimulated human neutrophils or on activity of isolated enzymes. Crude SG extract of L. sericata in the highest concentration used significantly decreased opsonized zymosan (0.5 mg/ml) stimulated blood CL, superoxide generation and MPO release.


CONCLUSIONS
On the basis of our results as well as from the literature we suggest that the beneficial effects of maggot therapy might involve the decrease of generation and release of proinflammatory factors, while neither phagocytosis nor subsequent apoptosis is disturbed.
Pecivova
Jana
J
Institute of Experimental Pharmacology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia. jana.pecivova@savba.sk
Macickova
Tatiana
T
Takac
Peter
P
Kovacsova
Maria
M
Cupanikova
Daniela
D
Kozanek
Milan
M
D000818:Animals; D004175:Diptera / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007814:Larva; D049449:Luminescence; D008297:Male; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects*; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000502:physiology*; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism; D014020:Tissue Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015054:Zymosan
D014020:Tissue Extracts; D013481:Superoxides; D015054:Zymosan; D009195:Peroxidase