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Slack KL, Groffen J, Hopkins WA. The Influence of Environmental Conditions and Coinfection by Blood-Feeding Parasites on Red Blood Cell Physiology of an Ectothermic Host. ECOLOGICAL AND EVOLUTIONARY PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 97:230-249. [PMID: 39270328 DOI: 10.1086/732113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/15/2024]
Abstract
AbstractVector-borne blood parasites cause myriad sublethal effects and can even be deadly to endotherms, but far less is known about their impacts on ectothermic hosts. Moreover, the pathologies documented in endotherms are generally linked to infection by blood parasites rather than by their vectors. Here, we measured hematocrit, hemoglobin, and relative proportions of immature red blood cells to evaluate the physiological effects of two blood-feeding parasites and coinfection on ectothermic hosts, differentiating among pathological responses, extrinsic factors, and natural variations. We investigated a population of wild eastern hellbender salamanders (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis), which harbor leeches (Placobdella appalachiensis) that transmit blood parasites (Trypanosoma spp.) to their hosts, often resulting in coinfection. We observed seasonal changes in host hematology corresponding to water temperature and demonstrated their ability to modulate hematological parameters in response to acute stress. We reveal seasonal relationships between parasite dynamics and host physiology, in which peak parasitemia occurred when hosts had seasonally high hematocrit and hemoglobin concentrations. We found that coinfected individuals expressed symptoms of anemia, including a regenerative response to depletion of their red blood cells. We also documented a more pronounced pathological response to leech vectors than to the trypanosomes they transmit. Our research underscores the complex interactions between host physiology, multiple parasites, and environmental factors and highlights the pathologies associated with the vector in coinfections. Given the contributions of climate change and disease in the rapid global decline of ectotherms such as amphibians, our study provides timely foundational insights into multiple factors that influence their red blood cell physiology.
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2
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Bodinof Jachowski CM, Alaasam V, Blumenthal A, Davis AK, Hopkins WA. The habitat quality paradox: loss of riparian forest cover leads to decreased risk of parasitism and improved body condition in an imperiled amphibian. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 12:coad101. [PMID: 38293638 PMCID: PMC10823334 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coad101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Amphibian declines are a global phenomenon but responses of populations to specific threats are often context dependent and mediated by individual physiological condition. Habitat degradation due to reduced riparian forest cover and parasitism are two threats facing the hellbender salamander (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis), but their potential to interact in nature remains largely unexplored. We investigated associations between forest cover, parasitic infection and physiology of hellbenders to test the hypotheses that physiological condition responds to infection and/or habitat degradation. We sampled 17 stream reaches in southwest Virginia, USA, on a year-round basis from 2013 to 2016 and recorded 841 captures of 405 unique hellbenders. At each capture we documented prevalence of two blood-associated parasites (a leech and trypanosome) and quantified up to three physiological condition indices (body condition, hematocrit, white blood cell [WBC] differentials). We used generalized linear mixed models to describe spatiotemporal variation in parasitic infection and each condition index. In general, living in the most heavily forested stream reaches, where hellbender density was highest, was associated with the greatest risk of parasitism, elevated neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (N:L) ratios and eosinophils, slightly lower hematocrit and lower mean body condition in hellbenders. All condition indices fluctuated temporally in a manner consistent with seasonal variation in hellbender metabolic demands and breeding phenology and were associated with land use during at least part of the year. Paradoxically, relatively low levels of forest cover appeared to confer a potential advantage to individuals in the form of release from parasites and improved body condition. Despite improved body condition, individuals from less forested areas failed to exhibit fluctuating body condition in response to spawning, which was typical in hellbenders from more forested habitats. We postulate this lack of fluctuation could be due to reduced conspecific competition or reproductive investment and/or high rates of filial cannibalism in response to declining forest cover.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine M Bodinof Jachowski
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | | | - Arden Blumenthal
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Andrew K Davis
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - William A Hopkins
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
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3
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Odewahn R, Wright BR, Czirják GÁ, Higgins DP. Differences in constitutive innate immunity between divergent Australian marsupials. DEVELOPMENTAL AND COMPARATIVE IMMUNOLOGY 2022; 132:104399. [PMID: 35307478 DOI: 10.1016/j.dci.2022.104399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Understanding immunity in wildlife populations is important from both One Health and conservation perspectives. The constitutive innate immune system is the first line of defence against pathogens, and comparisons among taxa can test the impact of evolution and life history on immune function. We investigated serum bacterial killing ability (BKA) of five marsupial species that employ varying life history strategies, demonstrated to influence immunity in other vertebrates. The brushtail possum and eastern grey kangaroo had the greatest BKA, while ringtail possums and koalas had the least. These differences were independent of social structure, captivity status and phylogeny, but were associated with diet and body size. Sex and disease status had no effect on BKA in koalas, however potential for differences between wild and captive koalas warrants further investigation. The current study has provided a foundation for future investigations into how adaptive and innate immunity interact in marsupials from an eco-evolutionary perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Odewahn
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Belinda R Wright
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Gábor Á Czirják
- Department of Wildlife Diseases, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Straße 17, 10315, Berlin, Germany
| | - Damien P Higgins
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia.
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Litmer AR, Freake M, Murray CM. Neutrophil: Lymphocyte Ratios as a Measure of Chronic Stress in Populations of the Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) across a Habitat Quality Gradient. COPEIA 2020. [DOI: 10.1643/cp-19-265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Allison R. Litmer
- Department of Biology, University of Arkansas, SCEN 601, 850 W. Dickson Street, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701; . Send reprint requests to this address
| | - Michael Freake
- Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Lee University, 1120 N. Ocoee Street, Cleveland, Tennessee 37311; mfreake@ leeuniversity.edu
| | - Christopher M. Murray
- Department of Biology, Tennessee Technological University, Pennebaker Hall #207, 1100 N. Dixie Avenue, Cookeville, Tennessee 38505
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Hopkins WA, DuRant SE, Beck ML, Ray WK, Helm RF, Romero LM. Cortisol is the predominant glucocorticoid in the giant paedomorphic hellbender salamander (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis). Gen Comp Endocrinol 2020; 285:113267. [PMID: 31491375 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2019.113267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2019] [Revised: 08/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Corticosterone is widely regarded to be the predominant glucocorticoid produced in amphibians. However, we recently described unusually low baseline and stress-induced corticosterone profiles in eastern hellbenders (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis), a giant, fully aquatic salamander. Here, we hypothesized that hellbenders might also produce cortisol, the predominant glucocorticoid used by fishes and non-rodent mammals. To test our hypothesis, we collected plasma samples in two field experiments and analyzed them using multiple analytical techniques to determine how plasma concentrations of cortisol and corticosterone co-varied after 1) physical restraint and 2) injection with adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), the pituitary hormone responsible for triggering the release of glucocorticoids from amphibian interrenal glands. Using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, we found that baseline and restraint-induced plasma concentrations of cortisol were more than five times those of corticosterone. We then demonstrated that plasma concentrations of both glucocorticoids increased in response to ACTH in a dose-dependent manner, but cortisol concentrations were consistently higher (up to 10-fold) than corticosterone. Cortisol and corticosterone concentrations were not correlated with one another at basal or induced conditions. The extremely low plasma concentrations of corticosterone in hellbenders suggests that corticosterone could simply be a byproduct of cortisol production, and raises questions as to whether corticosterone has any distinct physiological function in hellbenders. Our results indicate that hellbenders produce cortisol as their predominant glucocorticoid, supporting a small and inconclusive body of literature indicating that some other amphibians may produce appreciable quantities of cortisol. We hypothesize that the use of cortisol by hellbenders could be an adaptation to their fully aquatic life history due to cortisol's ability to fulfill both mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid functions, similar to its functions in fishes. Given the large number of amphibian species that are fully aquatic or have aquatic life stages, we suggest that the broadly held assumption that corticosterone is the predominant glucocorticoid in all amphibians requires further scrutiny. Ultimately, multi-species tests of this assumption will reveal the ecological factors that influenced the evolution of endocrine adaptations among amphibian lineages, and may provide insight into convergent evolution of endocrine traits in paedomorphic species.
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Affiliation(s)
- William A Hopkins
- Dept of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
| | - Sarah E DuRant
- Dept of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
| | - Michelle L Beck
- Dept of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA; Dept. of Biology, Rivier University, Nashua, NH 03060, USA
| | - W Keith Ray
- Dept of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Richard F Helm
- Dept of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
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Kenison EK, Hernández-Gómez O, Williams RN. A novel bioaugmentation technique effectively increases the skin-associated microbial diversity of captive eastern hellbenders. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 8:coaa040. [PMID: 32431814 PMCID: PMC7221235 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coaa040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2019] [Revised: 12/01/2019] [Accepted: 04/12/2020] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Captive environments are maintained in hygienic ways that lack free-flowing microbes found in animals' natural environments. As a result, captive animals often have depauperate host-associated microbial communities compared to conspecifics in the wild and may have increased disease susceptibility and reduced immune function. Eastern hellbenders (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis) have suffered precipitous population declines over the past few decades. To bolster populations, eastern hellbenders are reared in captivity before being translocated to the wild. However, the absence of natural microbial reservoirs within the captive environment diminishes the diversity of skin-associated bacteria on hellbender skin and may negatively influence their ability to defend against pathogenic species once they are released into the wild. To prepare hellbenders for natural bacteria found in riverine environments, we devised a novel bioaugmentation method to increase the diversity of skin microbial communities within a captive setting. We exposed juvenile hellbenders to increasing amounts of river water over 5 weeks before translocating them to the river. We genetically identified and phylogenetically compared bacteria collected from skin swabs and river water for alpha (community richness) and beta (community composition) diversity estimates. We found that hellbenders exposed to undiluted river water in captivity had higher alpha diversity and distinct differentiation in the community composition on their skin, compared to hellbenders only exposed to well water. We also found strong evidence that hellbender skin microbiota is host-specific rather than environmentally driven and is colonized by rare environmental operational taxonomic units in river water. This technique may increase hellbender translocation success as increasing microbial diversity is often correlated with elevated disease resistance. Future work is necessary to refine our methods, investigate the relationship between microbial diversity and hellbender health and understand how this bioaugmentation technique influences hellbenders' survival following translocation from captivity into the wild.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin K Kenison
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, 715 W. State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
- Idaho Fish and Wildlife Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1387 S. Vinnell Way, Boise, ID 83706, USA
- Corresponding author: Idaho Fish and Wildlife Office, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Boise, ID 83706, USA. Tel: (208) 685-6965.
| | - Obed Hernández-Gómez
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, 715 W. State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
- Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Dominican University of California, 50 Acacia Ave., San Rafael, CA 94901, USA
| | - Rod N Williams
- Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, 715 W. State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
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Hernández-Soto SR, Santiago-Alarcón D, Matta NE. Uso de hemoglobinómetro como alternativa para la medición de hemoglobina y hematocrito en muestras de aves. REV MEX BIODIVERS 2019. [DOI: 10.22201/ib.20078706e.2019.90.2848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
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McCormick GL, Robbins TR, Cavigelli SA, Langkilde T. Population history with invasive predators predicts innate immune function response to early life glucocorticoid exposure. J Exp Biol 2019; 222:jeb.188359. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.188359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2018] [Accepted: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Early life stress can suppress immune function, but it is unclear if transgenerational stress exposure modulates the immune consequences of early stress. In populations where, historically, the immune system is frequently activated, e.g. persistent stressors that cause injury, it may be maladaptive to suppress immune function after early life stress. Thus, the relationship between early life stress and immune function may vary with population-level historical stressor exposure. We collected gravid fence lizards (Sceloporus undulatus) from populations that naturally differ in long-term exposure to invasive fire ants (Solenopsis invicta). We manipulated early life stress in resulting offspring via weekly exposure to fire ants, application of the stress-relevant hormone corticosterone, or control treatment from 2 to 43 weeks of age. We quantified adult immune function in these offspring with baseline and antigen-induced hemagglutination and plasma bacterial killing ability. Early life corticosterone exposure suppressed baseline hemagglutination in offspring of lizards from populations without fire ants but enhanced hemagglutination in those from populations with fire ants. This enhancement may prepare lizards for high rates of wounding, toxin exposure, and infection associated with fire ant attack. Adult bacterial killing ability and hemagglutination were not affected by early life exposure to fire ants, but the latter was higher in offspring of lizards from invaded sites. A population's history of persistent wounding may thus alter individual long-term immunological responses to early life stressors. Further consideration of historical stressor exposure (type and duration) may be important to better understand how early life stressors affect adult physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gail L. McCormick
- Department of Biology, Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- The Center for Brain, Behavior and Cognition, The Huck Institute of the Life Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Travis R. Robbins
- Department of Biology, Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Sonia A. Cavigelli
- The Center for Brain, Behavior and Cognition, The Huck Institute of the Life Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Tracy Langkilde
- Department of Biology, Intercollege Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- The Center for Brain, Behavior and Cognition, The Huck Institute of the Life Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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9
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Sánchez CA, Becker DJ, Teitelbaum CS, Barriga P, Brown LM, Majewska AA, Hall RJ, Altizer S. On the relationship between body condition and parasite infection in wildlife: a review and meta-analysis. Ecol Lett 2018; 21:1869-1884. [PMID: 30369000 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2018] [Revised: 02/18/2018] [Accepted: 07/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Body condition metrics are widely used to infer animal health and to assess costs of parasite infection. Since parasites harm their hosts, ecologists might expect negative relationships between infection and condition in wildlife, but this assumption is challenged by studies showing positive or null condition-infection relationships. Here, we outline common condition metrics used by ecologists in studies of parasitism, and consider mechanisms that cause negative, positive, and null condition-infection relationships in wildlife systems. We then perform a meta-analysis of 553 condition-infection relationships from 187 peer-reviewed studies of animal hosts, analysing observational and experimental records separately, and noting whether authors measured binary infection status or intensity. Our analysis finds substantial heterogeneity in the strength and direction of condition-infection relationships, a small, negative average effect size that is stronger in experimental studies, and evidence for publication bias towards negative relationships. The strongest predictors of variation in study outcomes are host thermoregulation and the methods used to evaluate body condition. We recommend that studies aiming to assess parasite impacts on body condition should consider host-parasite biology, choose condition measures that can change during the course of infection, and employ longitudinal surveys or manipulate infection status when feasible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia A Sánchez
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.,Center for the Ecology of Infectious Disease, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Daniel J Becker
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.,Center for the Ecology of Infectious Disease, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | - Claire S Teitelbaum
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.,Center for the Ecology of Infectious Disease, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Paola Barriga
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.,Center for the Ecology of Infectious Disease, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Leone M Brown
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.,Department of Biology, Tufts University, Medford, MA, USA
| | - Ania A Majewska
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.,Center for the Ecology of Infectious Disease, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Richard J Hall
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.,Center for the Ecology of Infectious Disease, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.,Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
| | - Sonia Altizer
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA.,Center for the Ecology of Infectious Disease, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA
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Graham SP, Fielman KT, Mendonça MT. Thermal performance and acclimatization of a component of snake (Agkistrodon piscivorus) innate immunity. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2017; 327:351-357. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.2083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2017] [Revised: 06/22/2017] [Accepted: 06/26/2017] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Kevin T. Fielman
- Department of Biological Sciences; Auburn University; Auburn AL USA
| | - Mary T. Mendonça
- Department of Biological Sciences; Auburn University; Auburn AL USA
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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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12
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Assis VR, Monteiro Titon SC, Teixeira Queiroz-Hazarbassanov NG, de Oliveira Massoco C, Ribeiro Gomes F. Corticosterone transdermal application in toads (Rhinella icterica): Effects on cellular and humoral immunity and steroid plasma levels. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2017; 327:200-213. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.2093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2017] [Revised: 08/02/2017] [Accepted: 08/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Vania Regina Assis
- Departamento de Fisiologia; Instituto de Biociências; Universidade de São Paulo; Rua do Matão; São Paulo Brazil
| | | | | | - Cristina de Oliveira Massoco
- Departamento de Patologia; Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia; Universidade de São Paulo; São Paulo Brazil
| | - Fernando Ribeiro Gomes
- Departamento de Fisiologia; Instituto de Biociências; Universidade de São Paulo; Rua do Matão; São Paulo Brazil
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13
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Goessling JM, Guyer C, Mendonça MT. More than Fever: Thermoregulatory Responses to Immunological Stimulation and Consequences of Thermoregulatory Strategy on Innate Immunity in Gopher Tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus). Physiol Biochem Zool 2017; 90:484-493. [DOI: 10.1086/692116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Oxidative stress biomarkers are associated with visible clinical signs of a disease in frigatebird nestlings. Sci Rep 2017; 7:1599. [PMID: 28487518 PMCID: PMC5431617 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-01417-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2016] [Accepted: 03/29/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Infectious diseases are one of the most common threats for both domestic and wild animals, but little is known about the effects on the physiological condition and survival of wild animals. Here, we have tested for the first time in a wild vertebrate facing a viral disease possibly due to herpesvirus (i) whether nestlings with either low levels of oxidative damage or high levels of antioxidant protection are less susceptible to develop visible clinical signs, (ii) whether the disease is associated with the nestlings’ oxidative status, (iii) whether the association between the disease and oxidative status is similar between males and females (iv), and whether cloacal and tracheal swabs might be used to detect herpesvirus. To address our questions, we took advantage of a population of Magnificent frigatebirds (Fregata magnificens) whose nestlings have experienced high mortality rates in recent times. Our work shows that (i) blood lipid oxidative damage is associated with observable clinical signs and survival probabilities of nestling frigatebirds, and (ii) that high glutathione levels in red blood cells are associated with the emergence of visible clinical signs of the disease. Our work provides evidence that differences in the oxidative status of nestlings might underlie individual health and survival.
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Thomas JR, Magyan AJ, Freeman PE, Woodley SK. Testing hypotheses about individual variation in plasma corticosterone in free-living salamanders. J Exp Biol 2017; 220:1210-1221. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.149765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2016] [Accepted: 01/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
In vertebrates, many responses to stress as well as homeostatic maintenance of basal metabolism are regulated by plasma glucocorticoid hormones (GCs). Despite having crucial functions, levels of GCs are typically variable among individuals. We examined the contribution of several physiological factors to individual variation in plasma corticosterone (CORT) and the number of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) neurons in the magnocellular preoptic area of the brain in free-living Allegheny Mountain dusky salamanders. We addressed three hypotheses: the current-condition hypothesis, the facilitation hypothesis, and the trade-off hypothesis. Differential white blood cell counts were identified as strong contributors to individual variation in baseline CORT, stress-induced CORT, and the number of CRH neurons. In contrast, we found no relationship between corticosterone (or CRH) and body condition, energy stores, or reproductive investment, providing no support for the current-condition hypothesis or the trade-off hypothesis involving reproduction. Due to the difficulties of interpreting the functional consequences of differences in white blood cell differentials, we were unable to distinguish between the facilitation hypothesis or the trade-off hypothesis related to immune function. However, the strong association between white blood cell differentials and HPA/I activation suggests that a more thorough examination of immune profiles is critical to understanding variation in HPA/I activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica R. Thomas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Duquesne University, 600 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15282, USA
| | - Andrew J. Magyan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Duquesne University, 600 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15282, USA
| | - Peter E. Freeman
- Department of Statistics, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Sarah K. Woodley
- Department of Biological Sciences, Duquesne University, 600 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15282, USA
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Bodinof Jachowski CM, Millspaugh JJ, Hopkins WA. Current land use is a poor predictor of hellbender occurrence: why assumptions matter when predicting distributions of data-deficient species. DIVERS DISTRIB 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.12446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - William A. Hopkins
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation; Virginia Tech; Blacksburg VA 24061 USA
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