title: Setae from larvae of the northern processionary moth (Thaumetopoea pinivora, TP) stimulate proliferation of human blood lymphocytes in vitro.
abstract: Larvae of the Northern pine processionary moth (Thaumetopoea pinivora, TP) carry microscopic needles (setae), which by penetrating skin and mucous membranes, may cause inflammatory/immune derived symptoms in man. In the present study the stimulatory effects of setae on human blood lymphocytes in vitro was investigated. Blood mononuclear cells were separated from venous blood or buffy coat of ten healthy individuals, six previously exposed to setae and four with no known exposure. Lymphoproliferation was measured as uptake of 3H-thymidine. Setae were prepared from TP larvae. Setae and saline setae extracts stimulated proliferation of T-lymphocytes in the presence of monocytic cells. Stimulation was pronounced in cells from persons who had been exposed to setae, and weak in cells from non-exposed donors. Chitin also induced lymphocyte proliferation in most donors, but to a lesser extent and independently of donor's previous exposure to setae. In conclusion, setae contain molecules that in the presence of monocytes activate human T-lymphocytes to proliferation. The antigenic nature of stimulatory molecules was supported by the significantly stronger lymphocyte response in persons previously exposed to setae than in non-exposed donors. The nature of such molecules remains to be defined.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital Solna and Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Göran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Holm
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital Solna and Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Margareta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Andersson
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital Solna and Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ekberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital Solna and Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Bengt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fagrell
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital Solna and Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sjöberg
authors.affiliation: Division of Biostatistics, Institute of Enviromental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bottai
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital Solna and Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Magnus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Björkholm
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002686:Chitin / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects; D007814:Larva / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000737:chemistry; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009036:Moths / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D002686:Chitin