Condition, innate immunity and disease mortality of inbred crows

Townsend, Andrea K.; Clark, Anne B.; McGowan, Kevin J.; Miller, Andrew D.; Buckles, Elizabeth L.

doi:10.1098/rspb.2010.0480

Cited by 36 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…Tadpoles fed a high-protein diet were longer (F 1,74 = 36.30, P \ 0.0001) and more developed (F 1,74 = 63.84, P \ 0.0001) compared to tadpoles fed a low-protein diet antibodies, and complement; Millet et al 2007) may be measured in the BKA, we cannot ascertain which specific component(s) results in enhanced bacterial killing in this assay. However, our data support the findings of other studies in that organisms that have a strong bacterial killing ability can resist parasitic infections (Townsend et al 2010) and potentially increase their survival (Wilcoxen et al 2010). It is important to note that, by assaying all the tadpoles from the Bd non-exposed treatments first, we could have confounded treatment with time.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Dietary protein restriction impairs growth, immunity, and disease resistance in southern leopard frog tadpoles

et al. 2011

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The immune system is a necessary, but potentially costly, defense against infectious diseases. When nutrition is limited, immune activity may consume a significant amount of an organism's energy budget. Levels of dietary protein affect immune system function; high levels can enhance disease resistance. We exposed southern leopard frog [Lithobates sphenocephalus (=Rana sphenocephala)] tadpoles to high and low protein diets crossed with the presence or absence of the pathogenic amphibian chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis; Bd) and quantified: (1) tadpole resistance to Bd; (2) tadpole skin-swelling in response to phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) injection (a measure of the T cell-mediated response of the immune system); (3) bacterial killing ability (BKA) of tadpole blood (a measure of the complement-mediated cytotoxicity of the innate immune system); and (4) tadpole growth and development. Tadpoles raised on a low-protein diet were smaller and less developed than tadpoles on a high-protein diet. When controlled for developmental stage, tadpoles raised on a low-protein diet had reduced PHA and BKA responses relative to tadpoles on a high-protein diet, but these immune responses were independent of Bd exposure. High dietary protein significantly increased resistance to Bd. Our results support the general hypothesis that host condition can strongly affect disease resistance; in particular, fluctuations in dietary protein availability may change how diseases affect populations in the field.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Dietary protein restriction impairs growth, immunity, and disease resistance in southern leopard frog tadpoles

et al. 2011

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“…However, effects of body condition and inbreeding have been documented in nestlings (Townsend et al 2010). Clearly, additional studies are needed to determine whether sex-related differences in immune responsiveness occur in altricial nestlings, and such studies should control for effects of body condition and general health on immune responses.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Condition-dependent sex difference in nestling House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) response to phytohaemagglutinin injection

et al. 2014

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Adult male and female birds typically respond differently to immunological challenges, but whether this difference is present in altricial nestlings is not well-documented. Furthermore, the timing of the development of different axes of the immune system might vary in nestlings and also be affected by differences in condition and health state. We tested for sex-related differences in the immune response of nestling House Wrens (Troglodytes aedon Vieillot, 1809) to the injection of phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) and in the bacteria-killing capacity of their plasma. Based on prior work, we predicted that if there were sex-related differences in immune responsiveness, they would most likely occur when the sexes differed in some measure of condition or health state. Female nestlings had a stronger response to the injection of PHA than males in the one of three breeding seasons in which the condition of nestling females exceeded that of males, suggesting that the response to PHA injection is condition-dependent rather than sex-dependent. The sexes, however, did not differ in bactericidal activity, suggesting that different axes of the immune system may not be affected to the same degree by differences in sex or in condition. Résumé :Si les oiseaux adultes mâles et femelles réagissent généralement différemment à des stimuli immunologiques, cette différence n'est pas bien documentée chez les oisillons nidicoles. En outre, le moment du développement de différents axes du système immunitaire pourrait varier chez les oisillons et être influencé par des différences sur le plan de l'embonpoint et de l'état de santé. Nous avons vérifié la présence de différences associées au sexe en ce qui concerne la réaction immunitaire d'oisillons de troglodyte familier (Troglodytes aedon Vieillot, 1809) à l'injection de phytohémagglutinine (PHA) et la capacité bactéricide de leur plasma. À la lumière de travaux antérieurs, nous avions prédit que d'éventuelles différences immunitaires associées au sexe seraient plus susceptibles de se produire en cas de différences entre les sexes sur le plan de l'embonpoint ou de l'état de santé. Les oisillons femelles présentaient une réaction plus forte à l'injection de PHA que les mâles pour celle des trois périodes de reproduction durant laquelle l'embonpoint des oisillons femelles était supérieur à celui des mâles, ce qui indiquerait que la réaction à l'injection de PHA dépend de l'embonpoint plutôt que du sexe. L'activité bactéricide ne variait pas selon le sexe, ce qui porte à croire que différents axes du système immunitaire pourraient ne pas être influencés dans la même mesure par des différences associées au sexe ou à l'embonpoint. [Traduit par la Rédaction] Mots-clés : troglodyte familier, Troglodytes aedon, réaction immunitaire dépendant du sexe et de l'embonpoint, essai à la PHA, épreuve du pouvoir bactéricide du plasma.

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“…This has prompted examination of constitutive immunity and microbiocidal capacity characteristics using blood collected from free-living birds [147,148]. Such measures have been shown to correlate with survivorship in adults and chicks [149,150]. In chicks, measurements of cutaneous swelling a day after injection of phytohaemagglutinin have been shown to predict survival probability [151][152][153], presumably because this correlates with their disease susceptibility.…”

Section: (B) Evaluating Vitalitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecophysiology of avian migration in the face of current global hazards

Klaassen

Hoye

Nolet

et al. 2012

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

117

114

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Long-distance migratory birds are often considered extreme athletes, possessing a range of traits that approach the physiological limits of vertebrate design. In addition, their movements must be carefully timed to ensure that they obtain resources of sufficient quantity and quality to satisfy their high-energy needs. Migratory birds may therefore be particularly vulnerable to global change processes that are projected to alter the quality and quantity of resource availability. Because long-distance flight requires high and sustained aerobic capacity, even minor decreases in vitality can have large negative consequences for migrants. In the light of this, we assess how current global change processes may affect the ability of birds to meet the physiological demands of migration, and suggest areas where avian physiologists may help to identify potential hazards. Predicting the consequences of global change scenarios on migrant species requires (i) reconciliation of empirical and theoretical studies of avian flight physiology; (ii) an understanding of the effects of food quality, toxicants and disease on migrant performance; and (iii) mechanistic models that integrate abiotic and biotic factors to predict migratory behaviour. Critically, a multi-dimensional concept of vitality would greatly facilitate evaluation of the impact of various global change processes on the population dynamics of migratory birds.

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Condition, innate immunity and disease mortality of inbred crows

Cited by 36 publications

References 57 publications

Dietary protein restriction impairs growth, immunity, and disease resistance in southern leopard frog tadpoles

Dietary protein restriction impairs growth, immunity, and disease resistance in southern leopard frog tadpoles

Condition-dependent sex difference in nestling House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) response to phytohaemagglutinin injection

Ecophysiology of avian migration in the face of current global hazards

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