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Ndunguru SF, Reda GK, Csernus B, Knop R, Gulyás G, Szabó C, Czeglédi L, Lendvai ÁZ. Embryonic methionine triggers post-natal developmental programming in Japanese quail. J Comp Physiol B 2024; 194:179-189. [PMID: 38520538 PMCID: PMC11070397 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-024-01542-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
Embryonic development is one of the most sensitive and critical stages when maternal effects may influence the offspring's phenotype. In birds and other oviparous species, embryonic development is confined to the eggs, therefore females must deposit resources into the eggs to prepare the offspring for the prevailing post-natal conditions. However, the mechanisms of such phenotypic adjustments remain poorly understood. We simulated a maternal nutritional transfer by injecting 1 mg of L-methionine solution into Japanese quail eggs before the onset of incubation. The increase in early methionine concentration in eggs activated the insulin/insulin-like signalling and mechanistic target of rapamycin (IIS/mTOR) signalling pathways and affected post-natal developmental trajectories. Chicks from methionine-supplemented eggs had higher expression of liver IGF1 and mTOR genes at hatching but were similar in size, and the phenotypic effects of increased growth became apparent only a week later and remained up to three weeks. Circulating levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and expression of ribosomal protein serine 6 kinase 1 (RPS6K1), the mTOR downstream effector, were elevated only three weeks after hatching. These results show that specific nutritional cues may have phenotypic programming effects by sequentially activating specific nutrient-sensing pathways and achieving transgenerational phenotypic plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sawadi F Ndunguru
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, Institute of Animal Science, Biotechnology and Nature Conservation, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, 4032, Hungary.
- Doctoral School of Animal Science, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, 4032, Hungary.
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, 4032, Hungary.
| | - Gebrehaweria K Reda
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, Institute of Animal Science, Biotechnology and Nature Conservation, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, 4032, Hungary
- Doctoral School of Animal Science, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, 4032, Hungary
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, 4032, Hungary
| | - Brigitta Csernus
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, 4032, Hungary
| | - Renáta Knop
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, Institute of Animal Science, Biotechnology and Nature Conservation, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, 4032, Hungary
| | - Gabriella Gulyás
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, Institute of Animal Science, Biotechnology and Nature Conservation, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, 4032, Hungary
| | - Csaba Szabó
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, 4032, Hungary
| | - Levente Czeglédi
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Environmental Management, Institute of Animal Science, Biotechnology and Nature Conservation, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, 4032, Hungary
| | - Ádám Z Lendvai
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, 4032, Hungary.
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Rojas I, Cárcamo CB, Defranchi Y, Jeno K, Rengel J, Araya M, Tarnok ME, Aguilar L, Álvarez G, Schmitt P, Brokordt K. A Diet Rich in HUFAs Enhances the Energetic and Immune Response Capacities of Larvae of the Scallop Argopecten purpuratus. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13081416. [PMID: 37106979 PMCID: PMC10135034 DOI: 10.3390/ani13081416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Massive mortalities in farmed larvae of the scallop Argopecten purpuratus have been associated with pathogenic Vibrio outbreaks. An energetic trade-off between development-associated demands and immune capacity has been observed. Given that highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs) are essential nutrients for larval development, we evaluated the effect of diets based on microalgae low and high in HUFAs (LH and HH, respectively) on the energetic condition and the immune response of scallop larvae. The results showed that the HH diet increased cellular membrane fluidity in veliger larvae. The routine respiration rate was 64% higher in the HH-fed veligers than in the LH-fed veligers. Additionally, the metabolic capacity tended to be higher in the HH-fed veligers than in the LH-fed veligers after the Vibrio challenge. After the challenge, the HH-fed veligers presented higher transcript induction of ApTLR (immune receptor) and ApGlys (immune effector) genes, and the HH-fed pediveligers presented higher induction of ApLBP/BPI1 (antimicrobial immune effector) gene, than the LH-fed larvae. Furthermore, the HH-fed veligers controlled total Vibrio proliferation (maintaining near basal levels) after the bacterial challenge, while the LH-fed veligers were not able to control this proliferation, which increased three-fold. Finally, the HH-fed larvae showed 20-25% higher growth and survival rates than the LH-fed veligers. Overall, the results indicated that the administration of a HH diet increases cell membrane fluidity and energy metabolic capacity, which in turn enhances immunity and the ability to control Vibrio proliferation. The administration of microalgae high in HUFAs would be a promising strategy for improving scallop larval production efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isis Rojas
- Doctorado en Acuicultura, Programa Cooperativo Universidad de Chile, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo 1781421, Chile
- Laboratorio de Fisiología Marina (FIGEMA), Departamento de Acuicultura, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo 1780000, Chile
| | - Claudia B Cárcamo
- Laboratorio de Fisiología Marina (FIGEMA), Departamento de Acuicultura, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo 1780000, Chile
- Centro de Innovación Acuícola (AquaPacífico), Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo 1781421, Chile
| | - Yohana Defranchi
- Laboratorio de Fisiología Marina (FIGEMA), Departamento de Acuicultura, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo 1780000, Chile
| | - Katherine Jeno
- Laboratorio de Fisiología Marina (FIGEMA), Departamento de Acuicultura, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo 1780000, Chile
- Centro de Estudios avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA), Coquimbo 1781421, Chile
| | - José Rengel
- Laboratorio de Fisiología Marina (FIGEMA), Departamento de Acuicultura, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo 1780000, Chile
- Laboratorio de Producción Primaria, Departamento de Acuicultura, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo 1781421, Chile
| | - Michael Araya
- Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo Tecnológico en Algas y otros Recursos Biológicos (CIDTA), Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo 1781421, Chile
| | - María Elena Tarnok
- Laboratorio de Fotofísica y Espectroscopía Molecular, Instituto de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2340025, Chile
| | - Luis Aguilar
- Laboratorio de Fotofísica y Espectroscopía Molecular, Instituto de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2340025, Chile
| | - Gonzalo Álvarez
- Laboratorio de Producción Primaria, Departamento de Acuicultura, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo 1781421, Chile
- Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo Tecnológico en Algas y otros Recursos Biológicos (CIDTA), Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo 1781421, Chile
- Departamento de Acuicultura, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Campus Guayacán, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo 1781421, Chile
| | - Paulina Schmitt
- Laboratorio de Genética e Inmunología Molecular, Instituto de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Campus Curauma, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso 2362807, Chile
| | - Katherina Brokordt
- Laboratorio de Fisiología Marina (FIGEMA), Departamento de Acuicultura, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo 1780000, Chile
- Departamento de Acuicultura, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar, Campus Guayacán, Universidad Católica del Norte, Coquimbo 1781421, Chile
- Centro de Estudios avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA), Coquimbo 1781421, Chile
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McGrosky A, Pontzer H. The fire of evolution: energy expenditure and ecology in primates and other endotherms. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:297166. [PMID: 36916459 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.245272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
Total energy expenditure (TEE) represents the total energy allocated to growth, reproduction and body maintenance, as well as the energy expended on physical activity. Early experimental work in animal energetics focused on the costs of specific tasks (basal metabolic rate, locomotion, reproduction), while determination of TEE was limited to estimates from activity budgets or measurements of subjects confined to metabolic chambers. Advances in recent decades have enabled measures of TEE in free-living animals, challenging traditional additive approaches to understanding animal energy budgets. Variation in lifestyle and activity level can impact individuals' TEE on short time scales, but interspecific differences in TEE are largely shaped by evolution. Here, we review work on energy expenditure across the animal kingdom, with a particular focus on endotherms, and examine recent advances in primate energetics. Relative to other placental mammals, primates have low TEE, which may drive their slow pace of life and be an evolved response to the challenges presented by their ecologies and environments. TEE variation among hominoid primates appears to reflect adaptive shifts in energy throughput and allocation in response to ecological pressures. As the taxonomic breadth and depth of TEE data expand, we will be able to test additional hypotheses about how energy budgets are shaped by environmental pressures and explore the more proximal mechanisms that drive intra-specific variation in energy expenditure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda McGrosky
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Herman Pontzer
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.,Duke Global Health Institute, Durham, NC 27708, USA
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Zhu W, Lv Y, Zhang QD, Chang LM, Chen QH, Wang B, Jiang JP. Cascading effects of Pb on the environmental and symbiotic microbiota and tadpoles' physiology based on field data and laboratory validation. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 862:160817. [PMID: 36502979 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Heavy metal pollution poses a serious threat to ecosystems. Currently, there is a lack of field data that would enable us to gain a systematic understanding of the influences of heavy metals on aquatic ecosystems, especially the interactions between environments and animals. We studied the relationships between the variations in heavy metal concentrations (10 species including Pb in sediments and surface water), the community structure of environmental and symbiotic microbiota, and the gut traits of Bufo gargarizans tadpoles across 16 sampling sites on the Chengdu Plain through rigorous statistical analysis and laboratory validation. The results show that heavy metal concentrations, especially the Pb concentration of the sediment, are linked to the variations in sediment and tadpoles' gut microbiomes but not to water microbiota. For the sediment microbiota, Pb causes a trade-off between the proportions of Burkholderiales and Verrucomicrobiae and affects the methane, sulfide, and nitrate metabolisms. For tadpoles, a high sediment Pb content leads to a low abundance of gut aerobic bacteria and a large relative gut weight under both field and laboratory conditions. In addition, Pb promotes the growth of B. gargarizans tadpoles under laboratory conditions. These effects seem to be beneficial to tadpoles. However, a high Pb content leads to a low abundance of probiotic bacteria (e.g., Verrucomicrobiae, Eubacteriaceae, and Cetobacterium) and a high abundance of pathogenic bacteria in the gut and environment, suggesting potential health risks posed by Pb. Interestingly, there is a causal relationship between Pb-induced variations in sediment and symbiotic microbiotas, and the latter is further linked to the variation in relative gut weight of tadpoles. This suggests a cascading effect of Pb on the ecosystem. In conclusion, our results indicate that among the heavy metals, the Pb in sediment is a critical factor affecting the aquatic ecosystem through an environment-gut-physiology pathway mediated by microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Zhu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China.
| | - Yan Lv
- College of Life Sciences, Henan Normal University, Xinxiang 453007, China.
| | - Qun-De Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Li-Ming Chang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Qi-Heng Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China.
| | - Bin Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China.
| | - Jian-Ping Jiang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China.
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Lu G, Zhang X, Li X, Zhang S. Immunity and Growth Plasticity of Asian Short-Toed Lark Nestlings in Response to Changes in Food Conditions: Can It Buffer the Challenge of Climate Change-Induced Trophic Mismatch? Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13050860. [PMID: 36899717 PMCID: PMC10000144 DOI: 10.3390/ani13050860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Passerine nestlings frequently suffer from sub-optimal food conditions due to climate change-induced trophic mismatch between the nestlings and their optimal food resources. The ability of nestlings to buffer this challenge is less well understood. We hypothesized that poor food conditions might induce a higher immune response and lower growth rate of nestlings, and such physiological plasticity is conducive to nestling survival. To test this, we examined how food (grasshopper nymphs) abundance affects the expression of interferon-γ (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1 β (IL-1β) genes, plasma IGF-1 levels, body mass, and fledging rates in wild Asian short-toed lark (Alaudala cheleensis) nestlings. Linear mixed models revealed that nymph biomass significantly influenced the expression of IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-1β genes, and the level of plasma IGF-1. The expressions of IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-1β genes were negatively correlated with nymph biomass and plasma IGF-1 level. Plasma IGF-1 level, nestling body mass growth rate, was positively correlated with nymph biomass. Despite a positive correlation between the nestling fledge rate and nymph biomass, more than 60% of nestlings fledged when nymph biomass was at the lowest level. These results suggest that immunity and growth plasticity of nestlings may be an adaptation for birds to buffer the negative effects of trophic mismatch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guang Lu
- Key Laboratory of Ecology and Environment in Minority Areas (National Ethnic Affairs Commission), Minzu University of China, Beijing 100081, China
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Minzu University of China, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Xinjie Zhang
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Minzu University of China, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Xinyu Li
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Minzu University of China, Beijing 100081, China
| | - Shuping Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Ecology and Environment in Minority Areas (National Ethnic Affairs Commission), Minzu University of China, Beijing 100081, China
- College of Life and Environmental Sciences, Minzu University of China, Beijing 100081, China
- Correspondence:
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Schoepf I, Olson S, Moore IT, Bonier F. Experimental reduction of haemosporidian infection affects maternal reproductive investment, parental behaviour and offspring condition. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20221978. [PMID: 36448284 PMCID: PMC9709520 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.1978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
When hosts have a long coevolutionary history with their parasites, fitness costs of chronic infection have often been assumed to be negligible. Yet, experimental manipulation of infections sometimes reveals effects of parasites on their hosts, particularly during reproduction. Whether these effects translate into fitness costs remains unclear. Here, we present the results of an experimental study conducted in a free-ranging population of red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) naturally experiencing a high prevalence of haemosporidian infections, with more than 95% of breeding adults infected with parasites from one or more haemosporidian genus. To assess effects of infection during reproduction, we manipulated adult red-winged blackbird females' parasite burden by administering an anti-haemosporidian medication before onset of egg-laying. Experimental reduction of infection resulted in significant benefits to mothers and their offspring. Medicated females laid heavier clutches, invested more in incubation and provisioning behaviour, and produced more fledglings than control females. Nestlings of medicated females had higher haematocrit, higher blood glucose, and lower reactive oxygen metabolites than nestlings of control females. Overall, our results provide evidence that, even in a species with high prevalence of infection, parasites can lead to decreased maternal investment and offspring quality, substantially reducing fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivana Schoepf
- Biology Department, Queen's University, 116 Barrie Street, Kingston, Ontario, Canada K7L 3N6
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, 1405 Perry Street, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- University of Alberta, Augustana Campus, 4901 46 Avenue, Camrose, Alberta, Canada T4V 2R3
| | - Sarena Olson
- Biology Department, Queen's University, 116 Barrie Street, Kingston, Ontario, Canada K7L 3N6
| | - Ignacio T. Moore
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, 1405 Perry Street, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Frances Bonier
- Biology Department, Queen's University, 116 Barrie Street, Kingston, Ontario, Canada K7L 3N6
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Masud N, Davies-Jones A, Griffin B, Cable J. Differential effects of two prevalent environmental pollutants on host-pathogen dynamics. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 295:133879. [PMID: 35131271 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.133879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 01/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Chemical pollutants are a major factor implicated in freshwater habitat degradation and species loss. Microplastics and glyphosate-based herbicides are prevalent pollutants with known detrimental effects on animal welfare but our understanding of their impacts on infection dynamics are limited. Within freshwater vertebrates, glyphosate formulations reduce fish tolerance to infections, but the effects of microplastic consumption on disease tolerance have thus far not been assessed. Here, we investigated how microplastic (polypropylene) and the commercial glyphosate-based herbicide, Roundup®, impact fish tolerance to infectious disease and mortality utilising a model fish host-pathogen system. For uninfected fish, microplastic and Roundup had contrasting impacts on mortality as individual stressors, with microplastic increasing and Roundup decreasing mortality compared with control fish not exposed to pollutants. Concerningly, microplastic and Roundup combined had a strong interactive reversal effect by significantly increasing host mortality for uninfected fish (73% mortality). For infected fish, the individual stressors also had contrasting effects on mortality, with microplastic consumption not significantly affecting mortality and Roundup increasing mortality to 55%. When combined, these two pollutants had a moderate interactive synergistic effect on mortality levels of infected fish (53% mortality). Both microplastic and Roundup individually had significant and contrasting impacts on pathogen metrics with microplastic consumption resulting in fish maintaining infections for significantly longer and Roundup significantly reducing pathogen burdens. When combined, the two pollutants had a largely additive effect in reducing pathogen burdens. This study is the first to reveal that microplastic and Roundup individually and interactively impact host-pathogen dynamics and can prove fatal to fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Numair Masud
- Cardiff University, School of Biosciences, Sir Martin Evans Building, CF10 3AX, UK.
| | - Alice Davies-Jones
- Cardiff University, School of Biosciences, Sir Martin Evans Building, CF10 3AX, UK
| | - Ben Griffin
- Cardiff University, School of Biosciences, Sir Martin Evans Building, CF10 3AX, UK
| | - Jo Cable
- Cardiff University, School of Biosciences, Sir Martin Evans Building, CF10 3AX, UK
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Chang L, Zhu W, Jiang J. Albinism in the largest extant amphibian: A metabolic, endocrine, or immune problem? Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:1053732. [PMID: 36518250 PMCID: PMC9742363 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.1053732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pigment regression is an intriguing phenomenon that can be caused by disorders in melanin metabolism or endocrine regulation, or by autoimmune disorders. Albino animals serve as excellent models for the study of the genetic determination of morphology, particularly the evolution of and molecular mechanisms underlying chromatophore-related diseases in animals and humans. MATERIAL AND METHODS The artificial culture of Andrias davidianus, the largest extant amphibian, is flourishing in China due to the great ecological and economic value of this animal. Approximately 0.1% of individuals express an albino phenotype accompanied by delayed somatic growth and mortality at early developmental stages. In this study, brain and skin transcriptomics were conducted to study the underlying molecular basis of the phenotype. RESULTS The results indicated decreased transcription of genes of melanin synthesis. Interestingly, MHC I isotypes and immune-related pathways accounted for the primary transcriptional differences between groups, suggesting that the albino phenotype represents a systematic immune problem to a far greater extent than a pigmentation defect. Albino individuals exhibited shifted transcription of MHC I isotypes, and the albino-specific isotype was characterized by increased charges and decreased space in the antigen- binding pocket, implying a drastic change in antigen specificity and a potential risk of autoimmune disorders. CONCLUSION These results suggest an association between the albino phenotype and MHC I variants in A. davidianus, which could serve as a convenient model for vitiligo or other autoimmune diseases.
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Kravchenko LB. Influence of Social Conditions on Humoral Adaptive Immunity in Bank (Clethrionomys glareolus) and Gray-Sided (Clethrionomys rufocanus) Voles: An Experimental Study. BIOL BULL+ 2021. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062359021090120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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10
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Romano A, Corti M, Soravia C, Cecere JG, Rubolini D. Ectoparasites exposure affects early growth and mouth colour in nestlings of a cavity-nesting raptor. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-021-03098-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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11
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Finger JW, Kelley MD, Zhang Y, Hamilton MT, Elsey RM, Mendonca MT, Kavazis AN. Antioxidant Enzymes in Destructible and Non-Destructible Tissues in American Alligators (Alligator mississippiensis). SOUTH AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HERPETOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.2994/sajh-d-19-00118.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- John W. Finger
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Meghan D. Kelley
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
| | - Yufeng Zhang
- School of Health Studies, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN 38152, USA
| | - Matthew T. Hamilton
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Ruth M. Elsey
- Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, Grand Chenier, LA 70643, USA
| | - Mary T. Mendonca
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA
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Combrink LL, Bronikowski AM, Miller DAW, Sparkman AM. Current and time-lagged effects of climate on innate immunity in two sympatric snake species. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:3239-3250. [PMID: 33841780 PMCID: PMC8019058 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 12/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Changing environments result in alterations at all levels of biological organization, from genetics to physiology to demography. The increasing frequency of droughts worldwide is associated with higher temperatures and reduced precipitation that can impact population persistence via effects on individual immune function and survival.We examined the effects of annual climate variation on immunity in two sympatric species of garter snakes from four populations in California over a seven-year period that included the record-breaking drought.We examined three indices of innate immunity: bactericidal competence (BC), natural antibodies (NABs), and complement-mediated lysis (CL).Precipitation was the only climatic variable explaining variation in immune function: spring precipitation of the current year was positively correlated to Thamnophis sirtalis BC and NABs, whereas spring precipitation of the previous year was positively correlated to T. elegans BC and NABs. This suggests that T. elegans experiences a physiological time-lag in response to reduced precipitation, which may reflect lack of capital for investment in immunity in the year following a dry year.In general, our findings demonstrate compelling evidence that climate can influence wild populations through effects on physiological processes, suggesting that physiological indices such as these may offer valuable opportunities for monitoring the effects of climate.
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Aastrup C, Hegemann A. Jackdaw nestlings rapidly increase innate immune function during the nestling phase but no evidence for a trade-off with growth. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2021; 117:103967. [PMID: 33316356 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2020.103967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Although animals are born with a protective immune system, even the innate immune system is under development from birth to adulthood and this development may be affected by sex and growth. However, most knowledge comes from captive animals or long-lived slow growing species. Moreover, little is known about how innate immune function, the important first line of defence, develops during early life in fast-growing animals such as free-living passerines. We studied development of innate baseline immune function in nestlings of free-living jackdaws Corvus monedula. We measured four immune parameters (hemolysis, hemagglutination, bacterial-killing capacity, haptoglobin concentration) and structural body size (body mass, wing length, tarsus length) at day 12 and day 29 post-hatching. We found that three out of four immune parameters (hemolysis, hemagglutination, bacterial-killing capacity) substantially increased with nestling age and had roughly reached adult levels shortly prior to fledging. We found little differences in immune development between males and females despite them differing in structural development. We also found no evidence that the nestlings traded off immune development with growth. That nestlings rapidly increase innate baseline immune function during early life and similarly in males and females indicates the importance of a well-functioning immune system already during the nestling phase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Aastrup
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building (Sölvegatan 37), 223 62, Lund, Sweden
| | - Arne Hegemann
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building (Sölvegatan 37), 223 62, Lund, Sweden.
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14
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Germani F, Wäscher S, Biller-Andorno N. A CRISPR response to pandemics?: Exploring the ethics of genetically engineering the human immune system. EMBO Rep 2021; 22:e52319. [PMID: 33615649 PMCID: PMC7926207 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202052319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 01/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Ethical challenges should be addressed before gene editing is made available to improve the immune response against emerging viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Germani
- Institute of Biomedical Ethics and History of Medicine (IBME), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Sebastian Wäscher
- Institute of Biomedical Ethics and History of Medicine (IBME), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Nikola Biller-Andorno
- Institute of Biomedical Ethics and History of Medicine (IBME), University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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15
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Cornell A, Melo M, Zimmerman C, Therrien JF. Nestling Physiology Is Independent of Somatic Development in a Common Raptor, the American Kestrel ( Falco sparverius). Physiol Biochem Zool 2021; 94:99-109. [PMID: 33464188 DOI: 10.1086/712816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
AbstractAlthough many studies have documented the developmental trajectory of somatic traits in birds, few measure physiological traits, and even fewer document individual variation in developmental trajectory across ecological context. Hematological traits underlying aerobic capacity can be predictive of nestling survival, fledgling flight ability, and ultimately recruitment. This study aimed to assess individual variation in the developmental trajectory of two physiological traits that underlie aerobic capacity, hematocrit and hemoglobin concentration, in relation to somatic development and ecological context. Our study species, the American kestrel (Falco sparverius), is sexually dimorphic and therefore likely to show sexual variation in developmental trajectory and nestling maturity. We used lay date, year, brood size, nestling sex ratio, and parental nest visit rate to assess ecological context. Although somatic traits showed similar trajectories across nestlings, developmental trajectory for hematocrit and hemoglobin concentration showed individual variation not previously documented. This individual variation in developmental change, or trajectory, for physiological traits could not be explained by somatic development, sex, parental nest visit rate, lay date, year, brood size, or nestling sex ratio. However, we did find higher final hemoglobin concentration in 2018 and in nests with earlier lay dates. These findings demonstrate the importance of assessing physiological traits that capture aspects of individual quality distinct from somatic traits. Future studies are needed to understand the causes of individual variation in developmental trajectory, which cannot be explained by the ecological variables presented here, and the potential fitness consequences of this variation.
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16
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Muriel J, Vida C, Gil D, Pérez-Rodríguez L. Ontogeny of leukocyte profiles in a wild altricial passerine. J Comp Physiol B 2020; 191:195-206. [PMID: 33196859 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-020-01323-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Revised: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Ecophysiological studies have highlighted the relevance of the avian immune system in individual fitness prospects in the wild. However, studies on the ontogeny of avian immunity are scarce. We analyse age-related changes in the cellular constitutive immunity throughout nestling development, as well as its relationship with sex and brood size. We found that cellular constitutive immunity could be affected by age, sex, brood size, or daily rhythm. Early-stage nestlings relied more on cells of the innate immunity rather than on cells linked to the adaptive immune system. Cellular immunity may not be fully mature in fledglings, as reflected by differences in phagocytic cell counts with regard to adults. Beyond the age-dependent effects, agranulocyte cell counts were affected by sibling competition while granulocyte cell counts showed a daily rhythm. We also show that the heterophil to lymphocyte ratio was negatively related to body weight when nestlings become more independent. Our study contributes knowledge to the fields of developmental immunology and ecological immunology based on essential components of the cellular immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaime Muriel
- Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología, IPE (CSIC), Avda. Nuestra Señora de la Victoria 16, 22700, Jaca, Spain.
| | - Carmen Vida
- Department of Biology Systems, Faculty of Medicine, University of Alcalá, C/19, Av. de Madrid, Km 33,600, 28871, Alcalá de Henares,, Madrid, Spain
| | - Diego Gil
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - Lorenzo Pérez-Rodríguez
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, IREC (CSIC, UCLM, JCCM), Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005, Ciudad Real, Spain
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17
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Ramírez-Otarola N, Maldonado K, Cavieres G, Bozinovic F, Sabat P. Nutritional ecology and ecological immunology in degus: Does early nutrition affect the postnatal development of the immune function? JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2020; 335:239-249. [PMID: 33184965 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Revised: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Environmental conditions experienced by developing animals have an impact on the development and maturity of the immune system. Specifically, the diet experienced during early development influences the maintenance and function of the immune system in young and adult animals. It is well known that exposure to low-protein diets during early development are related to an attenuation of immunocompetence in adulthood. While this functional linkage has been widely studied in altricial models' mammals, it has been little explored how the nutritional history modulates the immune function in precocial animals. We evaluated the effect of dietary protein consumed during early development on the immune function and the oxidative costs in the precocial Caviomorph rodent Octodon degus, or degu. We evaluated components of the acute phase response (APR) and oxidative parameters before and after immune challenge. We found that after the immune challenge, the juveniles on the low-protein dietary treatment exhibited an attenuation of body temperature but showed higher levels of lipid peroxidation than juvenile degus on the high-protein diet. We did not find a significant effect of the interaction between diet and immune challenge on body mass, levels of inflammatory proteins, nor in the total antioxidant capacity. Our results suggest that some components of the immune function and the oxidative status in the degu can be modulated by diet during development. However, the modulation would depend on the immune variables analyzed, and the characteristics of the immune system of precocial rodents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Ramírez-Otarola
- Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Mayor, Huechuraba, Santiago, Chile.,Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Karin Maldonado
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Departamento de Ciencias, Facultad de Artes Liberales, Universidad Adolfo Ibañez, Santiago, Chile
| | - Grisel Cavieres
- Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability (CAPES), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Francisco Bozinovic
- Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability (CAPES), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Pablo Sabat
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability (CAPES), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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18
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The conundrum of human immune system "senescence". Mech Ageing Dev 2020; 192:111357. [PMID: 32949594 PMCID: PMC7494491 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2020.111357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Biomarkers of human immunosenescence are discussed. Longitudinal studies are essential. Associations of immune markers in older adults with clinical outcome are context-dependent. There are no universal biomarkers of human immunosenescence. There are common age-associated changes to peripheral immune markers in humans.
There is a great deal of debate on the question of whether or not we know what ageing is (Ref. Cohen et al., 2020). Here, we consider what we believe to be the especially confused and confusing case of the ageing of the human immune system, commonly referred to as “immunosenescence”. But what exactly is meant by this term? It has been used loosely in the literature, resulting in a certain degree of confusion as to its definition and implications. Here, we argue that only those differences in immune parameters between younger and older adults that are associated in some definitive manner with detrimental health outcomes and/or impaired survival prospects should be classed as indicators of immunosenescence in the strictest sense of the word, and that in humans we know remarkably little about their identity. Such biomarkers of immunosenescence may nonetheless indicate beneficial effects in other contexts, consistent with the notion of antagonistic pleiotropy. Identifying what could be true immunosenescence in this respect requires examining: (1) what appears to correlate with age, though generality across human populations is not yet confirmed; (2) what clearly is part of a suite of canonical changes in the immune system that happen with age; (3) which subset of those changes accelerates rather than slows aging; and (4) all changes, potentially population-specific, that accelerate agig. This remains an immense challenge. These questions acquire an added urgency in the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, given the clearly greater susceptibility of older adults to COVID-19.
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19
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Garcia AR, Blackwell AD, Trumble BC, Stieglitz J, Kaplan H, Gurven MD. Evidence for height and immune function trade-offs among preadolescents in a high pathogen population. Evol Med Public Health 2020; 2020:86-99. [PMID: 32983534 PMCID: PMC7502263 DOI: 10.1093/emph/eoaa017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In an energy-limited environment, caloric investments in one characteristic should trade-off with investments in other characteristics. In high pathogen ecologies, biasing energy allocation towards immune function over growth would be predicted, given strong selective pressures against early-life mortality. METHODOLOGY In the present study, we use flow cytometry to examine trade-offs between adaptive immune function (T cell subsets, B cells), innate immune function (natural killer cells), adaptive to innate ratio and height-for-age z scores (HAZ) among young children (N = 344; aged 2 months-8 years) in the Bolivian Amazon, using maternal BMI and child weight-for-height z scores (WHZ) as proxies for energetic status. RESULTS Markers of adaptive immune function negatively associate with child HAZ, a pattern most significant in preadolescents (3+ years). In children under three, maternal BMI appears to buffer immune and HAZ associations, while child energetic status (WHZ) moderates relationships in an unexpected direction: HAZ and immune associations are greater in preadolescents with higher WHZ. Children with low WHZ maintain similar levels of adaptive immune function, but are shorter compared to high WHZ peers. CONCLUSIONS Reduced investment in growth in favor of immunity may be necessary for survival in high pathogen contexts, even under energetic constraints. Further, genetic and environmental factors are important considerations for understanding variation in height within this population. These findings prompt consideration of whether there may be a threshold of investment into adaptive immunity required for survival in high pathogen environments, and thus question the universal relevance of height as a marker of health. LAY SUMMARY Adaptive immune function is negatively associated with child height in this high pathogen environment. Further, low weight-for-height children are shorter but maintain similar immune levels. Findings question the relevance of height as a universal health marker, given that costs and benefits of height versus immunity may be calibrated to local ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela R Garcia
- Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, 427 E Tyler Mall, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, 427 E Tyler Mall, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
| | - Aaron D Blackwell
- Department of Anthropology, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99163, USA
| | - Benjamin C Trumble
- Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, 427 E Tyler Mall, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, 900 Cady Mall, Tempe, AZ 85281, USA
| | - Jonathan Stieglitz
- Université Toulouse 1 Capitole, espanade de l’Université 21, Allée de Brienne, Toulouse Cedex 06 31080, France
- Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse, espanade de l’Université 21, Allée de Brienne, Toulouse Cedex 06 31080, France
| | - Hillard Kaplan
- Economic Science Institute, Chapman University, One University Drive, Orange, CA 92866, USA
| | - Michael D Gurven
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
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20
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Gagnon M, Yannic G, Boyer F, Côté SD. Adult survival in migratory caribou is negatively associated with MHC functional diversity. Heredity (Edinb) 2020; 125:290-303. [PMID: 32728043 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-020-0347-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2019] [Revised: 07/04/2020] [Accepted: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) are involved in acquired immunity in vertebrates. Only a few studies have investigated the fitness consequences of MHC gene diversity in wild populations. Here, we looked at the association between annual survival and body mass and MHC-DRB exon 2 (MHC-DRB) genetic diversity, obtained from high-throughput sequencing, in two declining migratory caribou (Rangifer tarandus) herds. To disentangle the potential direct and general effects of MHC-DRB genetic diversity, we compared different indices of diversity that were either based on DNA-sequence variation or on physicochemical divergence of the translated peptides, thereby covering a gradient of allelic-to-functional diversity. We found that (1) body mass was not related to MHC-DRB diversity or genotype, and (2) adult survival probability was negatively associated with point accepted mutation distance, a corrected distance that considers the likelihood of each amino acid substitution to be accepted by natural selection. In addition, we found no evidence of fluctuating selection over time on MHC-DRB diversity. We concluded that direct effects were involved in the negative relationship between MHC functional diversity and survival, although the mechanism underlying this result remains unclear. A possible explanation could be that individuals with higher MHC diversity suffer higher costs of immunity (immunopathology). Our results suggest that genetic diversity is not always beneficial even in genes that are likely to be strongly shaped by balancing selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianne Gagnon
- Département de Biologie, Caribou Ungava and Centre d'Études Nordiques, Université Laval, 1045 avenue de la Médecine, Quebec City, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Glenn Yannic
- Université Grenoble Alpes, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LECA, 38000, Grenoble, France.
| | - Frédéric Boyer
- Université Grenoble Alpes, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LECA, 38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Steeve D Côté
- Département de Biologie, Caribou Ungava and Centre d'Études Nordiques, Université Laval, 1045 avenue de la Médecine, Quebec City, QC, G1V 0A6, Canada
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21
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Lee CY, Peralta-Sánchez JM, Martínez-Bueno M, Møller AP, Rabelo-Ruiz M, Zamora-Muñoz C, Soler JJ. The gut microbiota of brood parasite and host nestlings reared within the same environment: disentangling genetic and environmental effects. ISME JOURNAL 2020; 14:2691-2702. [PMID: 32681160 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-020-0719-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 07/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Gut microbiota are essential for host health and survival, but we are still far from understanding the processes involved in shaping their composition and evolution. Controlled experimental work under lab conditions as well as human studies pointed at environmental factors (i.e., diet) as the main determinant of the microbiota with little evidence of genetic effects, while comparative interspecific studies detected significant phylogenetic effects. Different species, however, also differ in diet, feeding behavior, and environmental characteristics of habitats, all of which also vary interspecifically, and, therefore, can potentially explain most of the detected phylogenetic patterns. Here, we take advantage of the reproductive strategy of avian brood parasites and investigate gut microbiotas (esophageal (food and saliva) and intestinal) of great spotted cuckoo (Clamator glandarius) and magpie (Pica pica) nestlings that grow in the same nests. We also estimated diet received by each nestling and explored its association with gut microbiota characteristics. Although esophageal microbiota of magpies and great spotted cuckoos raised within the same environment (nest) did not vary, the microbiota of cloacal samples showed clear interspecific differences. Moreover, diet of great spotted cuckoo and magpie nestlings explained the microbiota composition of esophageal samples, but not of cloaca samples. These results strongly suggest a genetic component determining the intestinal microbiota of host and parasitic bird species, indicating that interspecific differences in gut morphology and physiology are responsible for such interspecific differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chop Yan Lee
- Departamento de Microbiología, Universidad de Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain
| | | | - Manuel Martínez-Bueno
- Departamento de Microbiología, Universidad de Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain.,Unidad Asociada (CSIC): Coevolución: Cucos, Hospedadores y Bacterias Simbiontes, Universidad de Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Anders Pape Møller
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution, Université Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, Orsay Cedex, France.,Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, College of Life Sciences, Beijing Normal University, 100875, Beijing, China
| | - Miguel Rabelo-Ruiz
- Departamento de Microbiología, Universidad de Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Carmen Zamora-Muñoz
- Unidad Asociada (CSIC): Coevolución: Cucos, Hospedadores y Bacterias Simbiontes, Universidad de Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain.,Departamento de Zoología, Universidad de Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Juan José Soler
- Unidad Asociada (CSIC): Coevolución: Cucos, Hospedadores y Bacterias Simbiontes, Universidad de Granada, 18071, Granada, Spain. .,Departamento de Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (CSIC), Almería, Spain.
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22
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Zhou Z, Jian X, Zhou B, Lu K, Wang Y. Changes in the immune function of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) provide insights into strategies against BDE-47 stress. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2020; 392:122212. [PMID: 32078968 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.122212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2019] [Revised: 01/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are ubiquitous in marine ecosystems and have been suggested to bioaccumulate in aquatic food webs, with potentially negative impacts on marine organism. In this study, a 21-day experiment was performed under controlled laboratory conditions, in which 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47), the most biotoxic PBDE in the marine environment, was fed to rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) at concentrations of 50 and 500 ng g-1 in the diet. BDE-47 significantly decreased the specific growth rate of O. mykiss and was highly concentrated in the liver and head kidney, as evidenced by increased bioaccumulation factor (BAF) values. Tissue observation revealed impairment of the microstructure of the head kidney. Important immune factors in the skin, blood and head kidney were significantly inhibited by BDE-47 treatment (p < 0.05), whereas the respiratory burst activity of macrophages was enhanced. Additionally, immune-related genes were strongly downregulated following BDE-47 exposure (p < 0.05). In a bacterial challenge, the treatment groups had much higher mortality than did the control group (p < 0.05). BDE-47 accumulated and impaired immune organs, and the hierarchy of immune responses was impaired, consequently reducing O. mykiss resistance to pathogen invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongyuan Zhou
- Department of Marine Ecology, College of Marine Life Science, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Xiaoyang Jian
- North China Sea Environmental Monitoring Centre, State Oceanic Administration, Fushun Road 22, Qingdao, 266003, China
| | - Bin Zhou
- Department of Marine Ecology, College of Marine Life Science, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China; Laboratory for Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Keyu Lu
- Department of Geography, University College London, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - You Wang
- Department of Marine Ecology, College of Marine Life Science, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China; Laboratory for Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266071, China.
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23
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Bötsch Y, Tablado Z, Almasi B, Jenni L. Human recreation decreases antibody titre in bird nestlings: an overlooked transgenerational effect of disturbance. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb210930. [PMID: 32205358 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.210930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2019] [Accepted: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Outdoor recreational activities are booming and most animals perceive humans as predators, which triggers behavioural and/or physiological reactions [e.g. heart rate increase, activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis]. Physiological stress reactions have been shown to affect the immune system of an animal and therefore may also affect the amount of maternal antibodies a female transmits to her offspring. A few studies have revealed that the presence of predators affects the amount of maternal antibodies deposited into eggs of birds. In this study, using Eurasian blue and great tit offspring (Cyanistes caeruleus and Parus major) as model species, we experimentally tested whether human recreation induces changes in the amount of circulating antibodies in young nestlings and whether this effect is modulated by habitat and competition. Moreover, we investigated whether these variations in antibody titre in turn have an impact on hatching success and offspring growth. Nestlings of great tit females that had been disturbed by experimental human recreation during egg laying had lower antibody titres compared with control nestlings. Antibody titre of nestling blue tits showed a negative correlation with the presence of great tits, rather than with human disturbance. The hatching success was positively correlated with the average amount of antibodies in great tit nestlings, independent of the treatment. Antibody titre in the first days of life in both species was positively correlated with body mass, but this relationship disappeared at fledging and was independent of treatment. We suggest that human recreation may have caused a stress-driven activation of the HPA axis in breeding females, chronically increasing their circulating corticosterone, which is known to have an immunosuppressive function. Either, lower amounts of antibodies are transmitted to nestlings or impaired transfer mechanisms lead to lower amounts of immunoglobulins in the eggs. Human disturbance could, therefore, have negative effects on nestling survival at early life-stages, when nestlings are heavily reliant on maternal antibodies, and in turn lead to lower breeding success and parental fitness. This is a so far overlooked effect of disturbance on early life in birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yves Bötsch
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Seerose 1, CH-6204 Sempach, Switzerland
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Zulima Tablado
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Seerose 1, CH-6204 Sempach, Switzerland
| | - Bettina Almasi
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Seerose 1, CH-6204 Sempach, Switzerland
| | - Lukas Jenni
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, Seerose 1, CH-6204 Sempach, Switzerland
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24
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Kirschman LJ, Morales D, Crawford E, Zera AJ, Warne RW. Sex and life history shape the strength of cellular and humoral immune responses in a wing dimorphic cricket. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 116:70-76. [PMID: 31029600 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2019.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2018] [Revised: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 04/24/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Immune function is a complex collection of responses that often trade-off with one another and with other life history traits, because of the high costs of mounting and maintaining immune responses. Animals, even those from the same populations, may emphasize different aspects of immune function depending on their habitat and phenotype. For example, host population density mediates the threat from density-dependent parasites. Animals at high densities may emphasize fast-acting humoral responses, while those at low densities may favor slower, but more specific, cellular responses. However, these predictions may be dependent on other life history traits, like sex, which is associated with variation in many immune responses. We used wing dimorphic Gryllus firmus crickets to test humoral responses, measured by lysozyme and phenoloxidase activities, and cellular immune responses, measured by encapsulation, between morphs and sex. We found that both morphs and sexes differed in aspects of immune function. Long wing morphs had stronger encapsulation responses than short winged morphs. Additionally, females exhibited higher PO activity than males, and by contrast, males had higher lysozyme activity than females. Our study suggests that G. firmus morphs prioritize different immune responses that may reflect a balancing between the costs of immunity and differing pathogen threats. Male and female crickets exhibit differences in humoral immune responses that may reflect their different life history demands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas J Kirschman
- Department of Zoology, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL, USA.
| | - Daniel Morales
- Department of Zoology, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL, USA
| | - Emily Crawford
- Department of Zoology, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL, USA
| | - Anthony J Zera
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, USA
| | - Robin W Warne
- Department of Zoology, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL, USA
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RAMIREZ‐OTAROLA N, ESPINOZA J, KALERGIS AM, SABAT P. Response to lipopolysaccharide inOctodon deguspups produces age‐related sickness behavior but does not have effects in juveniles. Integr Zool 2019; 14:235-247. [DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Natalia RAMIREZ‐OTAROLA
- Department of Ecological Sciences, Science FacultyUniversidad de Chile Santiago Chile
- Department of Ecology, Center of Applied Ecology & Sustainability, Biological Sciences FacultyPontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago Chile
| | - Janyra ESPINOZA
- Millennium Institute Immunology and Immunotherapy, Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias BiológicasPontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago Chile
| | - Alexis M. KALERGIS
- Millennium Institute Immunology and Immunotherapy, Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias BiológicasPontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago Chile
- Departamento de Endocrinología, Facultad de MedicinaPontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago Chile
| | - Pablo SABAT
- Department of Ecological Sciences, Science FacultyUniversidad de Chile Santiago Chile
- Department of Ecology, Center of Applied Ecology & Sustainability, Biological Sciences FacultyPontificia Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago Chile
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The Costs of Living Together: Immune Responses to the Microbiota and Chronic Gut Inflammation. Appl Environ Microbiol 2019; 85:AEM.02147-18. [PMID: 30530709 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02147-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
While the vertebrate microbiota is critical to the normal function of many host traits, hosts may expend a large amount of energy to constrain and interface with their microbiota via their immune system to avoid the high fitness costs associated with gut dysbiosis, pathobionts, and opportunistic pathogens. All jawed vertebrates share mucosal immunity dedicated to isolating the microbiota, and a breakdown of this system can result in chronic gut inflammation. In humans, chronic gut inflammation negatively affects growth and development. There is little information available on the prevalence of chronic gut inflammation in wild animals, but given that animals with different life histories emphasize different immune responses, it follows that wild animals may vary in their susceptibility to chronic gut inflammation, and most animals will experience signaling that can lead to this state. These can be top-down signals originating from sources like the central nervous system or bottom-up signals originating from changes in the gut microbiota. The sources of these signals might include stress, developmental transitions, food restriction, and dietary shifts. Here, we briefly discuss host-microbiota interactions from the perspective of life history theory and ecoimmunology, focusing on the mucosal immune system and chronic gut inflammation. We also include future directions for research and the tools necessary to investigate them.
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Marwaha J, Aase H, Geist J, Stoeckle BC, Kuehn R, Jakobsen PJ. Host (Salmo trutta) age influences resistance to infestation by freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera) glochidia. Parasitol Res 2019; 118:1519-1532. [DOI: 10.1007/s00436-019-06300-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Accepted: 03/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Øverli Ø, Johansen IB. Kindness to the Final Host and Vice Versa: A Trend for Parasites Providing Easy Prey? Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
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Podofillini S, Cecere JG, Griggio M, Corti M, De Capua EL, Parolini M, Saino N, Serra L, Rubolini D. Benefits of extra food to reproduction depend on maternal condition. OIKOS 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.06067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Podofillini
- Dipto di Scienze e Politiche Ambientali, Univ. degli Studi di Milano via Celoria 26, IT‐20133 Milano Italy
| | - Jacopo G. Cecere
- Area Avifauna Migratrice, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA) Ozzano Emilia (BO) Italy
| | - Matteo Griggio
- Dipto di Biologia, Univ. degli Studi di Padova Padova Italy
| | - Margherita Corti
- Dipto di Scienze e Politiche Ambientali, Univ. degli Studi di Milano via Celoria 26, IT‐20133 Milano Italy
| | | | - Marco Parolini
- Dipto di Scienze e Politiche Ambientali, Univ. degli Studi di Milano via Celoria 26, IT‐20133 Milano Italy
| | - Nicola Saino
- Dipto di Scienze e Politiche Ambientali, Univ. degli Studi di Milano via Celoria 26, IT‐20133 Milano Italy
| | - Lorenzo Serra
- Area Avifauna Migratrice, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA) Ozzano Emilia (BO) Italy
| | - Diego Rubolini
- Dipto di Scienze e Politiche Ambientali, Univ. degli Studi di Milano via Celoria 26, IT‐20133 Milano Italy
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Wilson JK, Ruiz L, Davidowitz G. Dietary Protein and Carbohydrates Affect Immune Function and Performance in a Specialist Herbivore Insect (Manduca sexta). Physiol Biochem Zool 2019; 92:58-70. [DOI: 10.1086/701196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Tavalire HF, Beechler BR, Buss PE, Gorsich EE, Hoal EG, le Roex N, Spaan JM, Spaan RS, van Helden PD, Ezenwa VO, Jolles AE. Context-dependent costs and benefits of tuberculosis resistance traits in a wild mammalian host. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:12712-12726. [PMID: 30619576 PMCID: PMC6308860 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2018] [Revised: 10/02/2018] [Accepted: 10/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Disease acts as a powerful driver of evolution in natural host populations, yet individuals in a population often vary in their susceptibility to infection. Energetic trade-offs between immune and reproductive investment lead to the evolution of distinct life history strategies, driven by the relative fitness costs and benefits of resisting infection. However, examples quantifying the cost of resistance outside of the laboratory are rare. Here, we observe two distinct forms of resistance to bovine tuberculosis (bTB), an important zoonotic pathogen, in a free-ranging African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) population. We characterize these phenotypes as "infection resistance," in which hosts delay or prevent infection, and "proliferation resistance," in which the host limits the spread of lesions caused by the pathogen after infection has occurred. We found weak evidence that infection resistance to bTB may be heritable in this buffalo population (h 2 = 0.10) and comes at the cost of reduced body condition and marginally reduced survival once infected, but also associates with an overall higher reproductive rate. Infection-resistant animals thus appear to follow a "fast" pace-of-life syndrome, in that they reproduce more quickly but die upon infection. In contrast, proliferation resistance had no apparent costs and was associated with measures of positive host health-such as having a higher body condition and reproductive rate. This study quantifies striking phenotypic variation in pathogen resistance and provides evidence for a link between life history variation and a disease resistance trait in a wild mammalian host population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah F. Tavalire
- Department of Integrative BiologyOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregon
- The Institute of Ecology and EvolutionUniversity of OregonEugeneOregon
- Present address:
Prevention Science InstituteUniversity of OregonEugeneOregon
- Present address:
Institute of Ecology and EvolutionUniversity of OregonEugeneOregon
| | | | | | - Erin E. Gorsich
- College of Veterinary MedicineOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregon
- Present address:
Erin E. Gorsich, Zeeman Institute: Systems Biology and Infectious Disease Epidemiology Research (SBIDER)University of WarwickCoventryUK
- Present address:
School of Life SciencesUniversity of WarwickCoventryUK
| | - Eileen G. Hoal
- South African Medical Research Council, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Health SciencesStellenbosch UniversityTygerbergSouth Africa
| | - Nikki le Roex
- South African Medical Research Council, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Health SciencesStellenbosch UniversityTygerbergSouth Africa
| | - Johannie M. Spaan
- Department of Integrative BiologyOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregon
| | - Robert S. Spaan
- Department of Fisheries and WildlifeOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregon
| | - Paul D. van Helden
- South African Medical Research Council, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Health SciencesStellenbosch UniversityTygerbergSouth Africa
| | - Vanessa O. Ezenwa
- Odum School of Ecology and Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary MedicineUniversity of GeorgiaAthensGeorgia
| | - Anna E. Jolles
- Department of Integrative BiologyOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregon
- College of Veterinary MedicineOregon State UniversityCorvallisOregon
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Cheynel L, Douhard F, Gilot-Fromont E, Rey B, Débias F, Pardonnet S, Carbillet J, Verheyden H, Hewison AJM, Pellerin M, Gaillard JM, Lemaître JF. Does body growth impair immune function in a large herbivore? Oecologia 2018; 189:55-68. [PMID: 30470888 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-018-4310-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2017] [Accepted: 11/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
According to the principle of allocation, trade-offs are inevitable when resources allocated to one biological function are no longer available for other functions. Growth, and to a lesser extent, immunity are energetically costly functions that may compete with allocation to reproductive success and survival. However, whether high allocation to growth impairs immune system development during the growing period or immune system performance during adulthood is currently unknown in wild mammals. Using three roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) populations experiencing contrasting environmental conditions, we tested for potential costs of growth on immune phenotype over both the short-term (during growth), and the long-term (during adulthood) over the course of an individuals' life. We investigated potential costs on a set of 12 immune traits that reflect both innate and adaptive responses, and compared them between sexes and populations. Although fast growth tended to be associated with low levels of some humoral traits (globulins) during the growing period and some cellular immune traits (i.e. eosinophil and neutrophil counts) during adulthood, evidence for a trade-off between growth and other immune components was limited. Unexpectedly, no detectable growth costs on immunity were found in females from the population experiencing the least favourable environment. We discuss our findings in the light of the complex interplay between resource allocation strategies among reproduction, maintenance and immunity, in relation to local environmental conditions experienced by roe deer.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Cheynel
- Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, UMR CNRS 5558, Villeurbanne Cedex, France.
| | - F Douhard
- GenPhySE, Université de Toulouse, INRA, INPT, INP-ENVT, 31320, Castanet Tolosan, France
| | - E Gilot-Fromont
- Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, UMR CNRS 5558, Villeurbanne Cedex, France
- Université de Lyon, VetAgro Sup, Marcy-l'Etoile, France
| | - B Rey
- Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, UMR CNRS 5558, Villeurbanne Cedex, France
| | - F Débias
- Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, UMR CNRS 5558, Villeurbanne Cedex, France
| | - S Pardonnet
- Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, UMR CNRS 5558, Villeurbanne Cedex, France
| | - J Carbillet
- CEFS, Université de Toulouse, INRA, Castanet Tolosan, France
| | - H Verheyden
- CEFS, Université de Toulouse, INRA, Castanet Tolosan, France
| | - A J M Hewison
- CEFS, Université de Toulouse, INRA, Castanet Tolosan, France
| | - M Pellerin
- Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage, Centre National de Recherches Appliquées sur les Cervidés-Sanglier, Bar-le-Duc, France
| | - J-M Gaillard
- Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, UMR CNRS 5558, Villeurbanne Cedex, France
| | - J-F Lemaître
- Université de Lyon, Université Lyon 1, UMR CNRS 5558, Villeurbanne Cedex, France
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Marti I, Ryser-Degiorgis MP. Morphometric characteristics of free-ranging Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx in Switzerland and their suitability for age estimation. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.2981/wlb.00432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Iris Marti
- I. Marti and M.-P. Ryser-Degiorgis (http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1062-870X) (marie-pierre.ryser@vetsui
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Václav R, Valera F. Host preference of a haematophagous avian ectoparasite: a micronutrient supplementation experiment to test an evolutionary trade-off. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/bly089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Radovan Václav
- Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská cesta, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Francisco Valera
- Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (EEZA-CSIC), Ctra. de Sacramento s/n, La Cañada de S. Urbano, Almería, Spain
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Martyka R, Śliwińska EB, Martyka M, Cichoń M, Tryjanowski P. The effect of pre-laying maternal immunization on offspring growth and immunity differs across experimentally altered postnatal rearing conditions in a wild songbird. Front Zool 2018; 15:25. [PMID: 29946341 PMCID: PMC6006776 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-018-0272-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2017] [Accepted: 06/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Prenatal antibody transfer is an immune-mediated maternal effect by which females can shape postnatal offspring resistance to pathogens and parasites. Maternal antibodies passed on to offspring provide primary protection to neonates against diverse pathogenic antigens, but they may also affect offspring growth and influence the development of an offspring’s own immune response. The effects of maternal antibodies on offspring performance commonly require that the disease environment experienced by a mother prior to breeding matches the environment encountered by her offspring after hatching/birth. However, other circumstances, like postnatal rearing conditions that affect offspring food availability, may also determine the effects of maternal antibodies on offspring growth and immunity. To date, knowledge about how prenatal immune-mediated maternal effects interact with various postnatal rearing conditions to affect offspring development and phenotype in wild bird population remains elusive. Here we experimentally studied the interactive effects of pre-laying maternal immunization with a bacterial antigen (lipopolysaccharide) and post-hatching rearing conditions, altered by brood size manipulation, on offspring growth and humoral immunity of wild great tits (Parus major). Results We found that maternal immunization and brood size manipulation interactively affected the growth and specific humoral immune response of avian offspring. Among nestlings reared in enlarged broods, only those that originated from immunized mothers grew better and were heavier at fledging stage compared to those that originated from non-immunized mothers. In contrast, no such effects were observed among nestlings reared in non-manipulated (control) broods. Moreover, offspring of immunized females had a stronger humoral immune response to lipopolysaccharide during postnatal development than offspring of non-immunized females, but only when the nestling was reared in control broods. Conclusions This study demonstrates that offspring development and their ability to cope with pathogens after hatching are driven by mutual influences of pathogen-induced prenatal maternal effects and post-hatching rearing conditions. Our findings suggest that immune-mediated maternal effects may have context-dependent influences on offspring growth and immune function, related to the postnatal environmental conditions experienced by the progeny. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12983-018-0272-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafał Martyka
- 1Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Mickiewicza 33, 31-120 Kraków, Poland
| | - Ewa B Śliwińska
- 1Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Mickiewicza 33, 31-120 Kraków, Poland
| | - Mirosław Martyka
- 1Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Mickiewicza 33, 31-120 Kraków, Poland
| | - Mariusz Cichoń
- 2Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Piotr Tryjanowski
- 3Institute of Zoology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71C, 60-625 Poznań, Poland
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Zilio G, Thiévent K, Koella JC. Host genotype and environment affect the trade-off between horizontal and vertical transmission of the parasite Edhazardia aedis. BMC Evol Biol 2018; 18:59. [PMID: 29699504 PMCID: PMC5921292 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-018-1184-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2017] [Accepted: 04/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background If a parasite is able to transmit horizontally or vertically, which transmission mode will it choose? We investigated how the growth conditions and the genotype of the mosquito Aedes aegypti affect the transmission mode of the parasite Edhazardia aedis. Results In poor conditions the parasites were more likely to be transmitted horizontally, whereas in favourable conditions they were more likely to be transmitted vertically. Unfavourable conditions delayed emergence, giving the parasite more time to produce its horizontally transmitted stage; in more favourable conditions mosquitoes have greater reproductive success, increasing the effectiveness of vertical transmission. In addition, the parasite’s ability to transmit vertically was influenced by the genetic background of the host (i.e., its full-sib family), giving a genetic correlation between the host’s life-history and which of the parasite’s transmission mode it enables. In particular, genotypes with large bodies (and therefore high fecundity) were more likely to enable vertical transmission than genotypes with small bodies. This led to a trade-off among the host’s families (which can be interpreted as a genetic correlation) for the parasite’s transmission mode. Conclusions Since horizontal transmission is linked to higher virulence than vertical transmission, the host’s contribution to transmission mode has important consequences for the evolution of parasites with mixed-mode transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giacomo Zilio
- Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Emile-Argand 11, 2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland.
| | - Kevin Thiévent
- Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Emile-Argand 11, 2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Jacob C Koella
- Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, Rue Emile-Argand 11, 2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
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Pryor LJE, Casto JM. Ectoparasites as developmental stressors: Effects on somatic and physiological development. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2018; 327:311-321. [PMID: 29356449 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2017] [Revised: 08/12/2017] [Accepted: 08/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Developmental stress can alter resource allocation in early life, and in altricial birds with rapid developmental trajectories and high resource demands, nestlings may adjust early resource partitioning to cope with challenging environments. We experimentally manipulated ectoparasite levels in nests and assessed whether ectoparasites affected somatic and physiological development in European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) nestlings. We hypothesized that mites act as developmental stressors in nestlings and predicted that nestlings from infested nests would exhibit either reduced somatic growth, or reduced physiological development, including impaired innate immunity, and would have elevated corticosterone concentrations. We either added ≈200 mites to nests during early incubation, or treated nests with a pesticide, permethrin, to reduce mites and possibly other arthropods. We assessed treatment effects on egg spottiness and mite abundance, and monitored offspring hatching and survival. We also measured somatic growth (mass, tarsus length, and feather growth), hematocrit, immune-related metrics (bacterial killing ability [BKA] and spleen mass), and baseline corticosterone concentrations in response to treatment. Compared with mite treatment, permethrin reduced egg spottiness and mite abundance in nests. Relative to nestlings in mite-reduced nests, nestlings in mite-enhanced nests had lower survival, hematocrit, and corticosterone concentrations. Early in development, nestlings from both treatments exhibited similar rapid somatic growth, yet mite-treated nestlings exhibited lower BKA. Nestlings in both treatments increased BKA across development, despite nestlings in mite-treated nests exhibiting lower mass as nest leaving neared. Overall, we found evidence that mites can act as development stressors, but contrary to our prediction, mites decreased corticosterone concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah J E Pryor
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois
| | - Joseph M Casto
- School of Biological Sciences, Illinois State University, Normal, Illinois
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Walker DJ, Spencer KA. Glucocorticoid programming of neuroimmune function. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2018; 256:80-88. [PMID: 28728884 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2017.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2017] [Revised: 07/13/2017] [Accepted: 07/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Throughout life physiological systems strive to maintain homeostasis and these systems are susceptible to exposure to maternal or environmental perturbations, particularly during embryonic development. In some cases, these perturbations may influence genetic and physiological processes that permanently alter the functioning of these physiological systems; a process known as developmental programming. In recent years, the neuroimmune system has garnered attention for its fundamental interactions with key hormonal systems, such as the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis. The ultimate product of this axis, the glucocorticoid hormones, play a key role in modulating immune responses within the periphery and the CNS as part of the physiological stress response. It is well-established that elevated glucocorticoids induced by developmental stress exert profound short and long-term physiological effects, yet there is relatively little information of how these effects are manifested within the neuroimmune system. Pre and post-natal periods are prime candidates for manipulation in order to uncover the physiological mechanisms that underlie glucocorticoid programming of neuroimmune responses. Understanding the potential programming role of glucocorticoids may be key in uncovering vulnerable windows of CNS susceptibility to stressful experiences during embryonic development and improve our use of glucocorticoids as therapeutics in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Walker
- School of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, Fife KY16 9JP, United Kingdom.
| | - Karen A Spencer
- School of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, Fife KY16 9JP, United Kingdom
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Ramirez-Otarola N, Espinoza J, Kalergis AM, Sabat P. Is there an effect of environmental temperature on the response to an antigen and the metabolic rate in pups of the rodent Octodon degus ? J Therm Biol 2018; 71:17-23. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2017.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2017] [Revised: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 10/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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Beck ML, Thompson M, Hopkins WA. Repeatability and sources of variation of the bacteria-killing assay in the common snapping turtle. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2017; 327:293-301. [PMID: 29356460 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2017] [Revised: 06/16/2017] [Accepted: 07/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Research on reptile ecoimmunology lags behind that on other vertebrates, despite the importance of such studies for conservation and evolution. Because the innate immune system is highly conserved across vertebrate lineages, assessments of its performance may be particularly useful in reptiles. The bacteria-killing assay requires a single, small blood sample and quantifies an individual's ability to kill microorganisms. The assay's construct validity and interpretability make it an attractive measure of innate immunity, but it requires proper optimization and sample storage. We optimized this assay for the common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) to assess the repeatability of the assay and the effects of freezing and thawing on bactericidal capacity. We determined whether age (adult female and hatchlings) or incubation temperature influenced bactericidal capacity. We found that the assay was repeatable and that freezing plasma samples for 6 weeks at -80°C did not decrease bactericidal capacity nor did a single 30-min thaw and subsequent refreezing. However, we detected subtle interassay variation and results from one assay were 5-6% greater than those from the other two. Adult females had significantly greater bactericidal ability than hatchlings and we found no relationship between incubation temperature and bactericidal capacity. This assay is a useful tool in snapping turtles and may have applicability in other reptiles. However, species-specific optimization is required to ensure that variation among individuals exceeds interassay variation. Consideration should be given to optimization conditions that facilitate comparisons between or within groups, particularly groups that differ considerably in bactericidal capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle L Beck
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia
| | - Molly Thompson
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia
| | - William A Hopkins
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia
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Smith GD, Neuman-Lee LA, Webb AC, Angilletta MJ, DeNardo DF, French SS. Metabolic responses to different immune challenges and varying resource availability in the side-blotched lizard (Uta stansburiana). J Comp Physiol B 2017; 187:1173-1182. [DOI: 10.1007/s00360-017-1095-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2016] [Revised: 01/15/2017] [Accepted: 04/06/2017] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
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Soler JJ, Ruiz-Castellano C, Figuerola J, Martín-Vivaldi M, Martínez-de la Puente J, Ruiz-Rodríguez M, Tomás G. Telomere length and dynamics of spotless starling nestlings depend on nest-building materials used by parents. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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Kirschman LJ, Quade AH, Zera AJ, Warne RW. Immune function trade-offs in response to parasite threats. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2017; 98:199-204. [PMID: 28109904 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2017.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2016] [Revised: 01/11/2017] [Accepted: 01/16/2017] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Immune function is often involved in physiological trade-offs because of the energetic costs of maintaining constitutive immunity and mounting responses to infection. However, immune function is a collection of discrete immunity factors and animals should allocate towards factors that combat the parasite threat with the highest fitness cost. For example, animals on dispersal fronts of expanding population may be released from density-dependent diseases. The costs of immunity, however, and life history trade-offs in general, are often context dependent. Trade-offs are often most apparent under conditions of unusually limited resources or when animals are particularly stressed, because the stress response can shift priorities. In this study we tested how humoral and cellular immune factors vary between phenotypes of a wing dimorphic cricket and how physiological stress influences these immune factors. We measured constitutive lysozyme activity, a humoral immune factor, and encapsulation response, a cellular immune factor. We also stressed the crickets with a sham predator in a full factorial design. We found that immune strategy could be explained by the selective pressures encountered by each morph and that stress decreased encapsulation, but not lysozyme activity. These results suggest a possible trade-off between humoral and cellular immunity. Given limited resources and the expense of immune factors, parasite pressures could play a key factor in maintaining insect polyphenism via disruptive selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas J Kirschman
- Department of Zoology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, USA.
| | - Adam H Quade
- Department of Zoology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, USA
| | - Anthony J Zera
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, USA
| | - Robin W Warne
- Department of Zoology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, USA
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Møller AP, Erritzøe J, Soler JJ. Life history, immunity, Peto's paradox and tumours in birds. J Evol Biol 2017; 30:960-967. [PMID: 28252229 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2016] [Accepted: 02/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Cancer and tumours may evolve in response to life-history trade-offs between growth and duration of development on one hand, and between growth and maintenance of immune function on the other. Here, we tested whether (i) bird species with slow developmental rates for their body size experience low incidence of tumours because slow development allows for detection of rapid proliferation of cell lineages. We also test whether (ii) species with stronger immune response during development are more efficient at detecting tumour cells and hence suffer lower incidence of tumours. Finally, we tested Peto's paradox, that there is a positive relationship between tumour incidence and body mass. We used information on developmental rates and body mass from the literature and of tumour incidence (8468 birds) and size of the bursa of Fabricius for 7659 birds brought to a taxidermist in Denmark. We found evidence of the expected negative relationship between incidence of tumours and developmental rates and immunity after controlling for the positive association between tumour incidence and body size. These results suggest that evolution has modified the incidence of tumours in response to life history and that Peto's paradox may be explained by covariation between body mass, developmental rates and immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- A P Møller
- Ecologie, Systématique Evolution, CNRS UMR 8079, Université Paris-Sud, Orsay Cedex, France
| | - J Erritzøe
- Taps Old Rectory, Christiansfeld, Denmark
| | - J J Soler
- Depto. Ecología Funcional y Evolutiva, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (C.S.I.C.), Almería, Spain
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Merlo JL, Cutrera AP, Zenuto RR. Food Restriction Affects Inflammatory Response and Nutritional State in Tuco-tucos (Ctenomys talarum). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 325:675-687. [PMID: 28164466 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2016] [Revised: 12/20/2016] [Accepted: 12/31/2016] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Insufficient or unbalanced food intake typically has a negative impact on immune responses. The understanding of this effect is, however, hampered by the effect that food has on general condition, which, in turn, affects immunity, and the interaction among general condition, immunocompetence, and concurrent infections. The goal of this study was to determine the effects of food restriction and methionine supplementation on immunity in tuco-tucos (Ctenomys talarum). Effects of diet manipulations on nutritional state, inflammatory response to phytohemagglutinin (PHA), and other immune parameters (bacterial killing capacity, natural antibodies, and leukocyte profile) were evaluated. Health and stress parameters and endoparasite loads were assessed to understand more deeply potential effects of treatments on immune status. Individuals under food restriction presented an altered nutritional state as well as increased stress levels (higher N: L ratios) compared with individuals fed ad libitum, and a marked reduction in the inflammatory response to PHA. Supplementation with methionine did not affect any of the parameters analyzed. Endoparasite loads were not affected by treatments. Our results support the idea that food insufficiency can modulate the individual's immune responsiveness through the lack of adequate essential nutrients, metabolic fuel and energetic reserves, or by a detrimental effect of the stress caused by nutrient limitation. We show that the response to PHA previously reported as nonenergetically costly for C. talarum, implies a nutritional cost; an opposite pattern to that previously found for the adaptive antibody response to sheep red blood cells in the same species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julieta Leticia Merlo
- Laboratorio de Ecología Fisiológica y del Comportamiento, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras, CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ana Paula Cutrera
- Laboratorio de Ecología Fisiológica y del Comportamiento, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras, CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Roxana Rita Zenuto
- Laboratorio de Ecología Fisiológica y del Comportamiento, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras, CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Husak JF, Roy JC, Lovern MB. Exercise training reveals trade-offs among endurance performance and immune function, but not growth, in juvenile lizards. J Exp Biol 2017; 220:1497-1502. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.153767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2016] [Accepted: 01/31/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Acquired energetic resources allocated to a particular trait cannot then be re-allocated to a different trait. This often results in a trade-off between survival and reproduction for the adults of many species, but such a trade-off may be manifested differently in juveniles not yet capable of reproduction. Whereas adults may allocate resources to current and/or future reproduction, juveniles can only allocate to future reproduction. Thus, juveniles should allocate resources toward traits that increase survival and their chances of future reproductive success. We manipulated allocation of resources to performance, via endurance exercise training, to examine trade-offs among endurance capacity, immune function, and growth in juvenile green anole lizards. We trained male and female captive anoles on a treadmill for eight weeks, with increasing intensity, and compared traits to those of untrained individuals. Our results show that training enhanced endurance capacity equally in both sexes, but immune function was suppressed only in females. Training had no effect on growth, but males had higher growth rates than females. Previous work showed that trained adults have enhanced growth, so juvenile growth is either insensitive to stimulation with exercise, or they are already growing at maximal rates. Our results add to a growing literature that locomotor performance is an important part of life-history trade-offs that are sex- and age-specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerry F. Husak
- Department of Biology, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN 55105, USA
| | - Jordan C. Roy
- Department of Biology, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, MN 55105, USA
| | - Matthew B. Lovern
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
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Placek CD, Hagen EH. Fetal Protection : The Roles of Social Learning and Innate Food Aversions in South India. HUMAN NATURE-AN INTERDISCIPLINARY BIOSOCIAL PERSPECTIVE 2016; 26:255-76. [PMID: 26286435 DOI: 10.1007/s12110-015-9239-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Pregnancy involves puzzling aversions to nutritious foods. Although studies generally support the hypotheses that such aversions are evolved mechanisms to protect the fetus from toxins and/or pathogens, other factors, such as resource scarcity and psychological distress, have not been investigated as often. In addition, many studies have focused on populations with high-quality diets and low infectious disease burden, conditions that diverge from the putative evolutionary environment favoring fetal protection mechanisms. This study tests the fetal protection, resource scarcity, and psychological distress hypotheses of food aversions in a resource-constrained population with high infectious disease burden. The role of culture is also explored. In the first of two studies in Tamil Nadu, India, we investigated cultural explanations of pregnancy diet among non-pregnant women (N = 54). In the second study, we conducted structured interviews with pregnant women (N = 94) to determine their cravings and aversions, resource scarcity, indices of pathogen exposure, immune activation, psychological distress, and emic causes of aversions. Study 1 found that fruits were the most commonly reported food that pregnant women should avoid because of their harmful effects on infants. Study 2 found modest support for the fetal protection hypothesis for food aversions. It also found that pregnant women most commonly avoided fruits as well as "black" and "hot" foods. Aversions were primarily acquired through learning and focused on protecting the infant from harm. Our findings provide modest support for the fetal protection hypothesis and surprisingly strong support for the influence of cultural norms and learning on dietary aversions in pregnancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caitlyn D Placek
- Department of Anthropology, Washington State University, PO Box 644910, Pullman, WA, 99163, USA,
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Costanzo A, Parolini M, Bazzi G, Khoriauli L, Santagostino M, Possenti CD, Romano A, Nergadze SG, Rubolini D, Giulotto E, Saino N. Brood size, telomere length, and parent-offspring color signaling in barn swallows. Behav Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arw147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
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50
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Giraudeau M, Ziegler AK, Pick JL, Ducatez S, Canale CI, Tschirren B. Interactive effects of yolk testosterone and carotenoid on prenatal growth and offspring physiology in a precocial bird. Behav Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arw127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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