IMMUNE RESPONSE OF THE TUATARA, SPHENODON PUNCTATUM

Abstract

Smmnaiy. The tuiitara, Sphcnodon punctatum, has been shown to produce :mtil)odit!s t(» Salmonella adelaide fliiKt'llin. Tlie serum of immunized itnimals contained immnuoylobulins which pusst'ssed sedinientiUion coefficients of approx. 18S and 7S. The 18S iminiiiK)^luhiilin.s roscmliled tho yM immiinogloltiilins of otlier vertehrates in size and polypeptide chain stnictnrf. Thr 7S immunolobiilins were antijienically related to the lSS proteins and possessed li^ht chains resembling those of the latter on gel electrophore.sis in urea. Tbe heavy chains of the 7S protein dilfered from those of the macroglobnlin. thereby indicating the presence of distinct imniunoglubidin cla-Sfies. Although the immunization period lasted for over eight months, antibody activity was found only in the 18S imuiimoglobulin.The lymphoid system of the tuatara was found to be primitive. Tbe only clearly recognizable lymphoid organ in the adult animal was tbe spleen which showed a definite demarciihon into wbite pnlp and red pulp, Injected carbon particles were taken up only by tlie bver. The forHgii particles in this organ were associated with phagocytie cells whith resembled the Kuplfer-cells of the mammalian liver.The fact that this ancient reptile possessed multiple classes of immnnoglobulins is consistent with previous findings that distinct inunimoglobulin classes, defined by the presence of different heavy chaim. were present by the phylogenetic level of higher amphibians.

Understanding the vertebrate immune system: insights from the reptilian perspective

“…After immunization, antibodies can be detected after a latent period of around one week but often do not peak until six or eight weeks post-immunization (Grey, 1963;Marchalonis et al, 1969;Ingram and Molyneux, 1983;Work et al, 2000;Pye et al, 2001;Origgi et al, 2001). In comparison, mammals also have a latent period of around one week depending on the antigen and immunization route but titers peak around two weeks post-immunization (Coico et al, 2003).…”

“…However, in birds, titer is increased but it is unclear if affinity maturation also occurs (Davison et al, 2008). In reptiles, antibody responses often do not increase in titer or in binding affinity during the secondary response (Grey, 1963;Marchalonis et al, 1969;Kanakambika and Muthukkaruppan, 1972b). Although this increased latency could be attributed to ectothermy, the slow response may not be a function of temperature alone.…”

Toll-like receptor responses in tuatara

“…Rhynchocephalians diverged from other reptiles about 250 million years ago (Hugall et al 2007) and were globally widespread around the time of the dinosaurs, but are now restricted to offshore islands of New Zealand. Previous studies on the tuatara's immune system have focused on acquired immunity (Marchalonis et al 1969;Burnham et al 2005) but no previous studies have investigated innate immune function in tuatara. Thus, we aimed to determine if tuatara could respond to a wide range of TLR agonists known to stimulate mammalian cells.…”

Variation in the seasonal patterns of innate and adaptive immunity in the red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta)

“…The thymus of hibernating mammals also seasonally involutes; however, non-hibernating mammals experience an agerelated involution (Kruman, 1992;Taub and Longo, 2005). Humoral immune responses of reptiles are much slower in comparison to mammalian responses, often fail to increase in titer upon a secondary immunization, and are of lower affinity than are mammalian responses (Grey, 1963;Marchalonis et al, 1969;Kanakambika and Muthukkarauppan, 1972;Ingram and Molyneux, 1983;Pye et al, 2001;Origgi et al, 2001).…”