Exploring the link between ultraviolet B radiation and immune function in amphibians: implications for emerging infectious diseases

Abstract

Levels of ultraviolet B radiation (UVBR), a potent immunosuppressant, have increased in parts of the world due to anthropogenic thinning of the Earth’s protective ozone layer. However, little is known about how UVBR influences amphibian immune function, or if increased UVBR exposure can contribute to disease emergence in susceptible species.

Frog Skin Innate Immune Defences: Sensing and Surviving Pathogens

“…Overexposure of frogs to UV-B radiation, in part due to deforestation and habitat loss, results in damage to the epidermal layer of larval and adult frogs (217, 218). Skin damage is characterized by epidermal shedding and sore formation, causing pronounced detrimental effects to maintenance of skin integrity and to physiological processes such as water and ion transportation (217, 218).…”

“…Overexposure of frogs to UV-B radiation, in part due to deforestation and habitat loss, results in damage to the epidermal layer of larval and adult frogs (217, 218). Skin damage is characterized by epidermal shedding and sore formation, causing pronounced detrimental effects to maintenance of skin integrity and to physiological processes such as water and ion transportation (217, 218). Though largely unexplored in frogs, it is suggested that UV radiation breaches the skin barrier and induces host immunosuppression, causing the frog to be more susceptible to both pathogen invasion and exposure to chemical contaminants, leading to host mortality (218).…”

“…Skin damage is characterized by epidermal shedding and sore formation, causing pronounced detrimental effects to maintenance of skin integrity and to physiological processes such as water and ion transportation (217, 218). Though largely unexplored in frogs, it is suggested that UV radiation breaches the skin barrier and induces host immunosuppression, causing the frog to be more susceptible to both pathogen invasion and exposure to chemical contaminants, leading to host mortality (218). Simultaneous exposure of larval X. laevis to pesticides and UV-B radiation resulted in higher mortality and instances of malformations, including those of the skin (208, 219).…”

Cooler temperatures slow the repair of DNA damage in tadpoles exposed to ultraviolet radiation: Implications for amphibian declines at high altitude

“…Chytridiomycosis has been linked to the global decline and extinction of more than 500 amphibian species (Scheele et al, 2019) with many chytridiomycosisrelated declines occurring in high altitude environments (Bosch, Carrascal, Duran, Walker, & Fisher, 2007;Kriger & Hero, 2008;Lips, 1998;Middleton et al, 2001;Rohr & Raffel, 2010;Walker et al, 2010) where elevated UVBR levels (Madronich, McKenzie, Bjorn, & Caldwell, 1998) and cooler temperatures interact. In addition, many declines attributable to this disease coincide spatially and temporally with increases in UVBR associated with stratospheric ozone depletion (Berger et al, 1998;Cramp & Franklin, 2018;Lips, 1998;Lips et al, 2006;Middleton et al, 2001). Although considerable efforts have been made since the 1980s to halt the loss of UVBR-absorbing ozone, the illegal production of ozone-destroying compounds continues to hamper the recovery of the ozone layer (Ball et al, 2018).…”

Investigation of the Effects of Radio Frequency Water Treatment on Some Characteristics of Growth in Pepper (<i>Capsicum annuum</i>) Plants

“…Electromagnetic radiation, particularly radiation emitted from routers, affects all living systems and influences cells, tissues and organs in several ways [9] [10] [11]. They affect, for example, mammals [12]- [17], fruit flies [18], ticks [19] amphibians [20] [21] [22], ants [23], birds [24], honey bees [25] [26] [27] and protozoa [28] [29].…”