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Orbán-Bakk K, Witek M, Dubiec A, Heinze J, Markó B, Csata E. Infection with a non-lethal fungal parasite is associated with increased immune investment in the ant Myrmica scabrinodis. J Invertebr Pathol 2024; 202:108027. [PMID: 38042446 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2023.108027] [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] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
Social insects, such as ants, are preferred host organisms of pathogens and parasites because colonies are densely populated, and the number of potential hosts is high in the same place and time. Within a colony, individuals are exposed differentially to risks according to their function and age. Thus, older individuals forage and are therefore the most exposed to infection, predation, or physical stress, while young workers mostly stay inside the sheltered nest being less exposed. Immune investment is considered to be dependent on an individual's age and pathogen pressure. Long-term exposure to a parasite could affect the immune activity of individuals in an intriguing way that interferes with the age-dependent decline in immunocompetence. However, there are only few cases in which such interferences can be studied. The myrmecopathogenic fungus Rickia wasmannii, which infects entire colonies without killing the workers, is a suitable candidate for such studies. We investigated the general immunocompetence of Myrmica scabrinodis ant workers associated with non-lethal fungal infection by measuring the levels of active phenoloxidase (PO) and total PO (PPO) (reflecting the amount of both active and inactive forms of the enzyme) in two age classes. The level of PO proved to be higher in infected workers than in uninfected ones, while the level of PPO increased with age but was not affected by infection. Overall, these results indicate that a long-term infection could go hand in hand with increased immune activity of ant workers, conferring them higher level of protection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kincső Orbán-Bakk
- Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeș-Bolyai University, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Clinicilor st. 5-7, Romania; Center for Systems Biology, Biodiversity and Bioresources, Sociobiology and Insect Ecology Lab, Babeș-Bolyai University, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Clinicilor st. 5-7, Romania.
| | - Magdalena Witek
- Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wilcza 64, 00-679 Warszawa, Poland.
| | - Anna Dubiec
- Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wilcza 64, 00-679 Warszawa, Poland.
| | - Jürgen Heinze
- Institute for Zoology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, D-93040 Regensburg, Germany.
| | - Bálint Markó
- Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Babeș-Bolyai University, 400006 Cluj-Napoca, Clinicilor st. 5-7, Romania; Institute for Research, Development and Innovation in Applied Natural Sciences, Babeș-Bolyai University, Fântânele 30, 400294 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
| | - Enikő Csata
- Institute for Zoology, University of Regensburg, Universitätsstraße 31, D-93040 Regensburg, Germany.
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Bronikowski AM, Hedrick AR, Kutz GA, Holden KG, Reinke B, Iverson JB. Sex-specific innate immunity and ageing in long-lived fresh water turtles (Kinosternon flavescens: Kinosternidae). Immun Ageing 2023; 20:11. [PMID: 36894996 PMCID: PMC9997018 DOI: 10.1186/s12979-023-00335-x] [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: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The progressive deregulation of the immune system with age, termed immunosenescence, has been well studied in mammalian systems, but studies of immune function in long-lived, wild, non-mammalian populations are scarce. In this study we leverage a 38-year mark-recapture study to quantify the relationships among age, sex, survival, reproductive output and the innate immune system in a long-lived reptile, yellow mud turtles (Kinosternon flavescens; Testudines; Kinosternidae). METHODS We estimated rates of survival and age-specific mortality by sex based on mark-recapture data for 1530 adult females and 860 adult males over 38 years of captures. We analyzed bactericidal competence (BC), and two immune responses to foreign red blood cells - natural antibody-mediated haemagglutination (NAbs), and complement-mediated haemolysis ability (Lys) - in 200 adults (102 females; 98 males) that ranged from 7 to 58 years of age captured in May 2018 during their emergence from brumation, and for which reproductive output and long-term mark-recapture data were available. RESULTS We found that females are smaller and live longer than males in this population, but the rate of accelerating mortality across adulthood is the same for both sexes. In contrast, males exhibited higher innate immunity than females for all three immune variables we measured. All immune responses also varied inversely with age, indicating immunosenescence. For females that reproduced in the preceding reproductive season, egg mass (and therefore total clutch mass) increased with age,. In addition to immunosenescence of bactericidal competence, females that produced smaller clutches also had lower bactericidal competence. CONCLUSIONS Contrary to the general vertebrate pattern of lower immune responses in males than females (possibly reflecting the suppressive effects of androgens), we found higher levels of all three immune variables in males. In addition, contrary to previous work that found no evidence of immunosenescence in painted turtles or red-eared slider turtles, we found a decrease in bactericidal competence, lysis ability, and natural antibodies with age in yellow mud turtles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne M Bronikowski
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA. .,Department of Integrative Biology, Kellogg Biological Station, Michigan State University, 3700 E. Gull Lake Rd., Hickory Corners, MI, 49060, USA.
| | - Ashley R Hedrick
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
| | - Greta A Kutz
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
| | - Kaitlyn G Holden
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, 50011, USA
| | - Beth Reinke
- Department of Biology, Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, IL, 60625, USA
| | - John B Iverson
- Department of Biology, Earlham College, Richmond, IN, 47374, USA.
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Field EK, Hartzheim A, Terry J, Dawson G, Haydt N, Neuman-Lee LA. Reptilian Innate Immunology and Ecoimmunology: What Do We Know and Where Are We Going? Integr Comp Biol 2022; 62:1557-1571. [PMID: 35833292 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icac116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Reptiles, the only ectothermic amniotes, employ a wide variety of physiological adaptations to adjust to their environments but remain vastly understudied in the field of immunology and ecoimmunology in comparison to other vertebrate taxa. To address this knowledge gap, we assessed the current state of research on reptilian innate immunology by conducting an extensive literature search of peer-reviewed articles published across the four orders of Reptilia (Crocodilia, Testudines, Squamata, and Rhynchocephalia). Using our compiled dataset, we investigated common techniques, characterization of immune components, differences in findings and type of research among the four orders, and immune responses to ecological and life-history variables. We found that there are differences in the types of questions asked and approaches used for each of these reptilian orders. The different conceptual frameworks applied to each group has led to a lack of unified understanding of reptilian immunological strategies, which, in turn, have resulted in large conceptual gaps in the field of ecoimmunology as a whole. To apply ecoimmunological concepts and techniques most effectively to reptiles, we must combine traditional immunological studies with ecoimmunological studies to continue to identify, characterize, and describe the reptilian immune components and responses. This review highlights the advances and gaps that remain to help identify targeted and cohesive approaches for future research in reptilian ecoimmunological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily K Field
- Department of Biological Sciences, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR 72401, USA
| | - Alyssa Hartzheim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR 72401, USA
| | - Jennifer Terry
- Department of Biological Sciences, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR 72401, USA
| | - Grant Dawson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR 72401, USA
| | - Natalie Haydt
- Department of Biological Sciences, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR 72401, USA
| | - Lorin A Neuman-Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR 72401, USA
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Sauer DJ, Heidinger BJ, Kittilson JD, Lackmann AR, Clark ME. No evidence of physiological declines with age in an extremely long-lived fish. Sci Rep 2021; 11:9065. [PMID: 33907285 PMCID: PMC8079698 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-88626-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the pace of senescence varies considerably, the physiological systems that contribute to different patterns of senescence are not well understood, especially in long-lived vertebrates. Long-lived bony fish (i.e., Class Osteichthyes) are a particularly useful model for studies of senescence because they can readily be aged and exhibit some of the longest lifespans among vertebrates. In this study we examined the potential relationship between age and multiple physiological systems including: stress levels, immune function, and telomere length in individuals ranging in age from 2 to 99 years old in bigmouth buffalo (Ictiobus cyprinellus), the oldest known freshwater teleost fish. Contrary to expectation, we did not find any evidence for age-related declines in these physiological systems. Instead, older fish appeared to be less stressed and had greater immunity than younger fish, suggesting age-related improvements rather than declines in these systems. There was no significant effect of age on telomeres, but individuals that may be more stressed had shorter telomeres. Taken together, these findings suggest that bigmouth buffalo exhibit negligible senescence in multiple physiological systems despite living for nearly a century.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derek J. Sauer
- grid.9654.e0000 0004 0372 3343Institute of Marine Science, University of Auckland, Leigh, 0985 New Zealand
| | - Britt J. Heidinger
- grid.261055.50000 0001 2293 4611Department of Biological Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58102 USA
| | - Jeffrey D. Kittilson
- grid.261055.50000 0001 2293 4611Department of Biological Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58102 USA
| | - Alec R. Lackmann
- grid.266744.50000 0000 9540 9781Department of Biology, University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, MN 55804 USA
| | - Mark E. Clark
- grid.266744.50000 0000 9540 9781Department of Biology, University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, MN 55804 USA
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Leivesley JA, Rollinson N. Maternal provisioning and fluctuating thermal regimes enhance immune response in a reptile with temperature-dependent sex determination. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:jeb.237016. [PMID: 33536300 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.237016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The Charnov-Bull model of differential fitness is often used to explain the evolution and maintenance of temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD). Most tests of the model focus on morphological proxies of fitness, such as size traits, whereas early life physiological traits that are closely related to lifetime fitness might provide a framework for generalizing the Charnov-Bull model across taxa. One such trait is the strength of the early-life immune response, which is strongly linked to early-life survival and fitness. Here, we manipulated temperature, variance in temperature, and sex to test the Charnov-Bull model using a physiological trait, immune system strength, in the snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina). We found no evidence of sex-specific differences in bactericidal capacity of hatchling blood, and no evidence that mean temperature influences bactericidal capacity. However, we did find that fluctuating incubation temperature (i.e. a more naturalized incubation regime) is associated with a greater bactericidal capacity compared with constant temperature incubation. We also found that egg mass, a proxy for maternal provisioning, is positively associated with bactericidal capacity. Our findings suggest that the evolution of temperature-dependent sex determination in reptiles is unrelated to our measure of early-life innate immunity. Our study also underlines how immune response is condition dependent in early life, and questions the biological relevance of constant temperature incubation in experimental studies on ectotherm development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Alice Leivesley
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5S 3B2
| | - Njal Rollinson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5S 3B2.,School of the Environment, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5S 3E8
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Zimmerman LM. The reptilian perspective on vertebrate immunity: 10 years of progress. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:223/21/jeb214171. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.214171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Ten years ago, ‘Understanding the vertebrate immune system: insights from the reptilian perspective’ was published. At the time, our understanding of the reptilian immune system lagged behind that of birds, mammals, fish and amphibians. Since then, great progress has been made in elucidating the mechanisms of reptilian immunity. Here, I review recent discoveries associated with the recognition of pathogens, effector mechanisms and memory responses in reptiles. Moreover, I put forward key questions to drive the next 10 years of research, including how reptiles are able to balance robust innate mechanisms with avoiding self-damage, how B cells and antibodies are used in immune defense and whether innate mechanisms can display the hallmarks of memory. Finally, I briefly discuss the links between our mechanistic understanding of the reptilian immune system and the field of eco-immunology. Overall, the field of reptile immunology is poised to contribute greatly to our understanding of vertebrate immunity in the next 10 years.
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Tylan C, Horvat-Gordon M, Bartell PA, Langkilde T. Ecoimmune reallocation in a native lizard in response to the presence of invasive, venomous fire ants in their shared environment. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2020; 333:792-804. [PMID: 33038069 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 09/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to stressors over prolonged periods can have fitness-relevant consequences, including suppression of immune function. We tested for effects of presence of an invasive species threat on a broad panel of immune functions of a coexisting lizard. Eastern fence lizards (Sceloporus undulatus) have been exposed to invasive fire ants (Solenopsis invicta) for over 80 years. Fire ants sting and envenomate lizards, causing physiological stress, but we do not have a comprehensive understanding of the broad immune consequences of lizard exposure to fire ant presence. We conducted a suite of immune measures on fence lizards caught from areas with long histories of fire ant invasion and lizards from areas not yet invaded by fire ants. The effect of fire ant presence on immunity varied depending on the immune component measured: within fire ant invaded areas, some portions of immunity were suppressed (lymphocytic cell-mediated immunity, complement), some were unaffected (phagocytic respiratory burst, natural antibodies), and some were enhanced (anti-fire ant immunoglobulin M, basophils) compared to within uninvaded areas. Rather than fire ants being broadly immunosuppressing, as generally assumed, the immune response appears to be tailored to this specific stressor: the immune measures that were enhanced are important to the lizards' ability to handle envenomation, whereas those that were unaffected or suppressed are less critical to surviving fire ant encounters. Several immune measures were suppressed in reproductive females when actively producing follicles, which may make them more susceptible to immunosuppressive costs of stressors such as interactions with fire ants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine Tylan
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, Mueller Laboratory, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Maria Horvat-Gordon
- Department of Animal Science, The Pennsylvania State University, Forest Resource Laboratory, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Paul A Bartell
- Department of Animal Science, The Pennsylvania State University, Forest Resource Laboratory, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Tracy Langkilde
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, Mueller Laboratory, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
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