1
|
Ramírez-Otarola N, Maldonado K, Valdés-Ferranty F, Newsome SD, Sabat P. Seasonal changes in diet, immune function, and oxidative stress in three passerines inhabiting a Mediterranean climate. Oecologia 2023; 203:395-405. [PMID: 37950102 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05474-y] [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: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Oxidative status and immune function are energy-demanding traits closely linked to diet composition, particularly resource availability and nutritional value. In seasonal environments, nutrient availability and diet quality fluctuate, potentially influencing these traits. However, limited evidence exists regarding these dietary effects on immune function in seasonal environments. In this study, we employed stable isotope analysis to assess the impact of seasonal changes in niche width and trophic level (i.e., δ15N) on two immune variables (hemolysis and hemagglutination scores) and two oxidative status parameters (lipid peroxidation and total antioxidant capacity) in three passerine species: Zonotrichia capensis (omnivorous), Troglodytes aedon (insectivorous), and Spinus barbatus (granivorous). We found that hemolysis scores varied seasonally in Z. capensis, with higher values in winter compared to summer. Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) also increased during the winter in Z. capensis and S. barbatus. The isotopic niche width for Z. capensis and S. barbatus was smaller in winter than in summer, with the omnivorous species exhibiting a decrease in δ15N. Despite the seasonal shifts in ecological and physiological traits in Z. capensis, we identified no correlation between immune response and TAC with trophic level. In contrast, in the granivorous S. barbatus, the lower trophic level resulted in an increase in TAC without affecting immunity. Our findings revealed that dietary shifts do not uniformly impact oxidative status and immune function across bird species, highlighting species-specific responses to seasonal changes. This underscores the importance of integrating ecological and evolutionary perspectives when examining how diet shapes avian immunity and oxidative balance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Ramírez-Otarola
- Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Facultad de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Mayor, Camino La Pirámide 5750, Huechuraba, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Karin Maldonado
- Departamento de Ciencias, Facultad de Artes Liberales, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile
| | - Fernanda Valdés-Ferranty
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Seth D Newsome
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Pablo Sabat
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability (CAPES), Santiago, Chile
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Huber N, Mahr K, Tóth Z, Szarka EZ, Çınar YU, Salmón P, Lendvai ÁZ. The stressed bird in the hand: Influence of sampling design on the physiological stress response in a free-living songbird. Physiol Behav 2021; 238:113488. [PMID: 34097972 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2021.113488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Despite the widely used application of standardized capture-handling protocols to collect blood and assess the physiological stress response, the actual sampling design (e.g., timing and the number of blood samples) often differs between studies, and the potential implications for the measured physiological endpoints remain understudied. We, therefore experimentally tested the effects of repeated handling and multiple blood sampling on the stress response in wintering free-living great tits (Parus major). We modified a well-established sampling protocol of avian studies by adding either an additional blood sample or a "sham-manipulation" (i.e., handling associated with the blood sampling procedure without venepuncture), to disentangle the effects of handling stress and blood loss. We combined three different stress metrics along the endocrine-immune interface to investigate the acute short-term stress response: total corticosterone concentrations (Cort), the heterophil/lymphocyte ratio (H:L), and the Leucocyte Coping Capacity (LCC). Our study provided three key results: i) no relationship between Cort levels, LCC and H:L, confirming that these three parameters represent different physiological endpoints within the stress response; ii) contrasting dynamics in response to stress by the measured parameters and iii) no difference in physiological stress levels 30 min after capture due to one additional blood sampling or handling event. By optimising the sampling design, our results provide implications for animal welfare and planning experimental procedures on stress physiology in passerine species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaus Huber
- Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Unit of Veterinary Public Health and Epidemiology, Institute of Food Safety, Food Technology and Veterinary Public Health, Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Katharina Mahr
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Vienna, Austria; Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.
| | - Zsófia Tóth
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary; Juhász-Nagy Pál Doctoral School of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Endre Z Szarka
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Yusuf U Çınar
- Department of Biology, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Pablo Salmón
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Ádám Z Lendvai
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Vágási CI, Tóth Z, Pénzes J, Pap PL, Ouyang JQ, Lendvai ÁZ. The Relationship between Hormones, Glucose, and Oxidative Damage Is Condition and Stress Dependent in a Free-Living Passerine Bird. Physiol Biochem Zool 2021; 93:466-476. [PMID: 33164671 PMCID: PMC7982133 DOI: 10.1086/711957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
AbstractPhysiological state is an emergent property of the interactions among physiological systems within an intricate network. Understanding the connections within this network is one of the goals in physiological ecology. Here, we studied the relationship between body condition, two neuroendocrine hormones (corticosterone and insulin-like growth factor 1 [IGF-1]) as physiological regulators, and two physiological systems related to resource metabolism (glucose) and oxidative balance (malondialdehyde). We measured these traits under baseline and stress-induced conditions in free-living house sparrows (Passer domesticus). We used path analysis to analyze different scenarios about the structure of the physiological network. Our data were most consistent with a model in which corticosterone was the major regulator under baseline conditions. This model shows that individuals in better condition have lower corticosterone levels; corticosterone and IGF-1 levels are positively associated; and oxidative damage is higher when levels of corticosterone, IGF-1, and glucose are elevated. After exposure to acute stress, these relationships were considerably reorganized. In response to acute stress, birds increased their corticosterone and glucose levels and decreased their IGF-1 levels. However, individuals in better condition increased their corticosterone levels more and better maintained their IGF-1 levels in response to acute stress. The acute stress-induced changes in corticosterone and IGF-1 levels were associated with an increase in glucose levels, which in turn was associated with a decrease in oxidative damage. We urge ecophysiologists to focus more on physiological networks, as the relationships between physiological traits are complex and dynamic during the organismal stress response.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Csongor I. Vágási
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Zsófia Tóth
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
- Juhász-Nagy Pál Doctoral School of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Janka Pénzes
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Péter L. Pap
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | | | - Ádám Z. Lendvai
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Gormally BMG, Fuller R, McVey M, Romero LM. DNA damage as an indicator of chronic stress: Correlations with corticosterone and uric acid. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2018; 227:116-122. [PMID: 30336278 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2018.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2018] [Accepted: 10/05/2018] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Corticosterone does not change in consistent ways across species and contexts, making it challenging to use as an indicator of chronic stress. We assessed DNA damage as a potential metric that could be a more integrative stress measurement with direct links to health. We captured free-living house sparrows, took an immediate blood sample, and transferred them to the laboratory, exposing them to the chronic stress of captivity. Biweekly blood and weight samples were then taken for 4 weeks. We immediately assessed DNA damage in red blood cells using the comet assay and later quantified corticosterone. Uric acid was analyzed in a separate group of birds. We found that birds initially lost, but began to regain weight over the course of captivity. DNA damage peaked within the first 10 days of captivity, and mostly remained elevated. However, the cellular distribution of damage changed considerably over time; most cells showed low levels of damage early, a bimodal distribution of high and low DNA damage during the peak of damage, and a wide unimodal distribution of damage at the end of the 4 weeks. Furthermore, corticosterone increased and remained elevated and uric acid decreased and remained depleted over the same period. Although both a molecular (DNA damage) and an endocrine (corticosterone) marker showed similar response profiles over the 4 weeks, they were not correlated, suggesting they reflect different aspects of the underlying physiology. These data provide convincing preliminary evidence that DNA damage has potential to be an additional indicator of chronic stress.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Rory Fuller
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford 02155, MA, USA
| | - Mitch McVey
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford 02155, MA, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
The Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Epidemiology of Coccidia of Passerine Birds. ADVANCES IN PARASITOLOGY 2018. [PMID: 29530310 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apar.2018.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Coccidia are intracellular parasites of the phylum Apicomplexa that cause a range of pathologies collectively termed coccidiosis. Species of coccidia of commercial importance have been well studied, with the effect of other species on passerine birds receiving increasing attention. In this chapter, we review the literature on coccidia in passerines, with a particular focus on wild populations. The taxonomy and life cycle of passerine coccidia are covered, as is their impact on the health of passerines, their epidemiology and their role in parasite-mediated natural and sexual selection. Coccidia can pose a significant threat to the health of wild passerine populations, and high rates of mortality have been observed in some studies. We examine some of the genetic factors that influence host resistance to coccidia and discuss how these parasites may be important in relation to sexually selected traits. General patterns are beginning to emerge with regard to the epidemiology of the parasites, and the influence of different aspects of the host's ecology on the prevalence and intensity of coccidia is being revealed. We examine these, as well exceptions, in addition to the phenomenon of diurnal oocyst shedding that can bias studies if not accounted for. Finally, we discuss potential future directions for research on coccidia in passerines and the importance of understanding parasite ecology in the management of threatened species.
Collapse
|
6
|
Vágási CI, Pătraș L, Pap PL, Vincze O, Mureșan C, Németh J, Lendvai ÁZ. Experimental increase in baseline corticosterone level reduces oxidative damage and enhances innate immune response. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0192701. [PMID: 29432437 PMCID: PMC5809056 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0192701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2017] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Glucocorticoid (GC) hormones are significant regulators of homeostasis. The physiological effects of GCs critically depend on the time of exposure (short vs. long) as well as on their circulating levels (baseline vs. stress-induced). Previous experiments, in which chronic and high elevation of GC levels was induced, indicate that GCs impair both the activity of the immune system and the oxidative balance. Nonetheless, our knowledge on how mildly elevated GC levels, a situation much more common in nature, might influence homeostasis is limited. Therefore, we studied whether an increase in GC level within the baseline range suppresses or enhances condition (body mass, hematocrit and coccidian infestation) and physiological state (humoral innate immune system activity and oxidative balance). We implanted captive house sparrows Passer domesticus with either 60 days release corticosterone (CORT) or control pellets. CORT-treated birds had elevated baseline CORT levels one week after the implantation, but following this CORT returned to its pre-treatment level and the experimental groups had similar CORT levels one and two months following the implantation. The mass of tail feathers grown during the initial phase of treatment was smaller in treated than in control birds. CORT implantation had a transient negative effect on body mass and hematocrit, but both of these traits resumed the pre-treatment values by one month post-treatment. CORT treatment lowered oxidative damage to lipids (malondialdehyde) and enhanced constitutive innate immunity at one week and one month post-implantation. Our findings suggest that a relatively short-term (i.e. few days) elevation of baseline CORT might have a positive and stimulatory effect on animal physiology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Csongor I. Vágási
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj Napoca, Romania
- Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
- * E-mail: (CIV); (ÁZL)
| | - Laura Pătraș
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj Napoca, Romania
| | - Péter L. Pap
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj Napoca, Romania
- Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Orsolya Vincze
- Evolutionary Ecology Group, Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj Napoca, Romania
- Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Cosmin Mureșan
- Emergency Hospital, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Cluj Napoca, Romania
| | - József Németh
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Ádám Z. Lendvai
- Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Evolutionary Zoology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
- * E-mail: (CIV); (ÁZL)
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Costantini D. Meta-analysis reveals that reproductive strategies are associated with sexual differences in oxidative balance across vertebrates. Curr Zool 2018; 64:1-11. [PMID: 29492033 PMCID: PMC5809033 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zox002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2016] [Accepted: 01/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxidative stress is a key physiological mechanism underlying life-history tradeoffs. Here, I use meta-analytic techniques to test whether sexual differences in oxidative balance are common in vertebrates and to identify which factors are associated with such differences. The dataset included 732 effect size estimates from 100 articles (82 species). Larger unsigned effect size (meaning larger sexual differences in a given marker) occurred in: reptiles and fish; those species that do not provide parental care; and oviparous species. Estimates of signed effect size (positive values meaning higher oxidative stress in males) indicated that females were less resistant to oxidative stress than males in: reptiles while males and females were similar in fish, birds, and mammals; those species that do not provide parental care; and oviparous species. There was no evidence for a significant sexual differentiation in oxidative balance in fish, birds, and mammals. Effect size was not associated with: the number of offspring; whether the experimental animals were reproducing or not; biomarker (oxidative damage, non-enzymatic, or enzymatic antioxidant), the species body mass; the strain (wild vs. domestic); or the study environment (wild vs. captivity). Oxidative stress tended to be higher in females than males across most of the tissues analyzed. Levels of residual heterogeneity were high in all models tested. The findings of this meta-analysis indicate that diversification of reproductive strategies might be associated with sexual differences in oxidative balance. This explorative meta-analysis offers a starting platform for future research to investigate the relationship between sex and oxidative balance further.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David Costantini
- UMR 7221, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 7 rue Cuvier 75231 Paris Cedex 05, France
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, Berlin 10315, Germany
- Behavioural Ecology & Ecophysiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, Wilrijk 2610, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Puehringer-Sturmayr V, Wascher CAF, Loretto MC, Palme R, Stoewe M, Kotrschal K, Frigerio D. Seasonal differences of corticosterone metabolite concentrations and parasite burden in northern bald ibis (Geronticus eremita): The role of affiliative interactions. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0191441. [PMID: 29364951 PMCID: PMC5783627 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0191441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2017] [Accepted: 01/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The reproductive season is energetically costly as revealed by elevated glucocorticoid concentrations, constrained immune functions and an increased risk of infections. Social allies and affiliative interactions may buffer physiological stress responses and thereby alleviate associated effects. In the present study, we investigated the seasonal differences of immune reactive corticosterone metabolite concentrations, endoparasite burden (nematode eggs and coccidian oocysts) and affiliative interactions in northern bald ibis (Geronticus eremita), a critically endangered bird. In total, 43 individually marked focal animals from a free-ranging colony were investigated. The analyses included a description of initiated and received affiliative interactions, pair bond status as well as seasonal patterns of hormone and endoparasite levels. During the reproductive season, droppings contained parasite eggs more often and corticosterone metabolite levels were higher as compared to the period after reproduction. The excretion rate of endoparasite products was lower in paired individuals than in unpaired ones, but paired animals exhibited higher corticosterone metabolite concentrations than unpaired individuals. Furthermore, paired individuals initiated affiliative behaviour more frequently than unpaired ones. This suggests that the reproductive season influences the excretion patterns of endoparasite products and corticosterone metabolites and that affiliative interactions between pair partners may positively affect endoparasite burden during periods of elevated glucocorticoid levels. Being embedded in a pair bond may have a positive impact on individual immune system and parasite resistance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Verena Puehringer-Sturmayr
- Core Facility Konrad Lorenz Forschungsstelle for Behaviour and Cognition, University of Vienna, Grünau im Almtal, Austria.,Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Claudia A F Wascher
- Core Facility Konrad Lorenz Forschungsstelle for Behaviour and Cognition, University of Vienna, Grünau im Almtal, Austria.,Department of Biology, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Matthias-Claudio Loretto
- Core Facility Konrad Lorenz Forschungsstelle for Behaviour and Cognition, University of Vienna, Grünau im Almtal, Austria.,Department of Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rupert Palme
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Unit of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Experimental Endocrinology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Mareike Stoewe
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Unit of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Experimental Endocrinology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Kurt Kotrschal
- Core Facility Konrad Lorenz Forschungsstelle for Behaviour and Cognition, University of Vienna, Grünau im Almtal, Austria.,Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Didone Frigerio
- Core Facility Konrad Lorenz Forschungsstelle for Behaviour and Cognition, University of Vienna, Grünau im Almtal, Austria.,Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Pap PL, Vincze O, Fülöp A, Székely-Béres O, Pătraș L, Pénzes J, Vágási CI. Oxidative physiology of reproduction in a passerine bird: a field experiment. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-017-2434-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
|
10
|
Lukasch B, Westerdahl H, Strandh M, Winkler H, Moodley Y, Knauer F, Hoi H. Genes of the major histocompatibility complex highlight interactions of the innate and adaptive immune system. PeerJ 2017; 5:e3679. [PMID: 28875066 PMCID: PMC5581531 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3679] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2017] [Accepted: 07/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background A well-functioning immune defence is crucial for fitness, but our knowledge about the immune system and its complex interactions is still limited. Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules are involved in T-cell mediated adaptive immune responses, but MHC is also highly upregulated during the initial innate immune response. The aim of our study was therefore to determine to what extent the highly polymorphic MHC is involved in interactions of the innate and adaptive immune defence and if specific functional MHC alleles (FA) or heterozygosity at the MHC are more important. Methods To do this we used captive house sparrows (Passer domesticus) to survey MHC diversity and immune function controlling for several environmental factors. MHC class I alleles were identified using parallel amplicon sequencing and to mirror immune function, several immunological tests that correspond to the innate and adaptive immunity were conducted. Results Our results reveal that MHC was linked to all immune tests, highlighting its importance for the immune defence. While all innate responses were associated with one single FA, adaptive responses (cell-mediated and humoral) were associated with several different alleles. Discussion We found that repeated injections of an antibody in nestlings and adults were linked to different FA and hence might affect different areas of the immune system. Also, individuals with a higher number of different FA produced a smaller secondary response, indicating a disadvantage of having numerous MHC alleles. These results demonstrate the complexity of the immune system in relation to the MHC and lay the foundation for other studies to further investigate this topic.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Lukasch
- Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Helena Westerdahl
- Department of Biology, Molecular Ecology & Evolution Lab, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Maria Strandh
- Department of Biology, Molecular Ecology & Evolution Lab, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Hans Winkler
- Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Yoshan Moodley
- Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Zoology, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, Republic of South Africa
| | - Felix Knauer
- Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Herbert Hoi
- Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Messina S, Eens M, Casasole G, AbdElgawad H, Asard H, Pinxten R, Costantini D. Experimental inhibition of a key cellular antioxidant affects vocal communication. Funct Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Simone Messina
- Behavioural Ecology & Ecophysiology Group Department of Biology University of Antwerp Universiteitsplein 1 2610 Wilrijk Belgium
| | - Marcel Eens
- Behavioural Ecology & Ecophysiology Group Department of Biology University of Antwerp Universiteitsplein 1 2610 Wilrijk Belgium
| | - Giulia Casasole
- Behavioural Ecology & Ecophysiology Group Department of Biology University of Antwerp Universiteitsplein 1 2610 Wilrijk Belgium
| | - Hamada AbdElgawad
- Integrated Molecular Plant Physiology Research Department of Biology University of Antwerp Antwerp Belgium
- Department of Botany Faculty of Science University of Beni‐Suef Beni‐Suef62511 Egypt
| | - Han Asard
- Integrated Molecular Plant Physiology Research Department of Biology University of Antwerp Antwerp Belgium
| | - Rianne Pinxten
- Behavioural Ecology & Ecophysiology Group Department of Biology University of Antwerp Universiteitsplein 1 2610 Wilrijk Belgium
- Faculty of Social Sciences Antwerp School of Education University of Antwerp Antwerp Belgium
| | - David Costantini
- Behavioural Ecology & Ecophysiology Group Department of Biology University of Antwerp Universiteitsplein 1 2610 Wilrijk Belgium
- UMR 7221 Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle 7 rue Cuvier 75231 Paris Cedex 05 France
| |
Collapse
|