Induced maternal response to the Lyme disease spirochaeteBorrelia burgdorferi sensu latoin a colonial seabird, the kittiwakeRissa tridactyla

Abstract

Mothers are predicted to invest in their o¡spring depending on the quality of their mate, their opportunity to invest in future reproduction and the characteristics of the habitat in which their o¡spring will be born. Recent studies have suggested a transfer of maternal immunity to o¡spring as an induced response to the local presence of parasites in the environment, but evidence has been indirect. Here, we show the presence of antibodies against the Lyme disease agent Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, a spirochaete transmitted by the seabird tick Ixodes uriae, in the eggs of kittiwakes Rissa tridactyla. We report higher prevalence of antibodies against Borrelia in eggs from breeding areas with higher prevalence and abundance of ticks. Further, high repeatabilities of antibody-positive eggs within clutches and between ¢rst and replacement clutches show that, within a breeding season, females di¡er consistently with respect to the expression of this induced maternal response. Our results suggest that mothers can alter investment in their young depending on local conditions. Such maternal e¡ects clearly have implications for the ecology and evolution of host^parasite interactions.

Maternal antibody persistence: a neglected life-history trait with implications from albatross conservation to comparative immunology

“…In addition to California condors [24], candidate species to be considered are notably griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus), king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) and parrots. Complementary data on various species would allow a more formal comparative approach to test whether the species half-life of maternal antibodies is positively related to the length of the chick-rearing period when accounting for phylogenetic constraints and other ecological characteristics, such as general exposure to parasites or colonial breeding habits [9][10][11]48]. In any case, obtaining such data would allow further investigations of the implications and underlying causes of the variability of this neglected trait.…”

Immune function across generations: integrating mechanism and evolutionary process in maternal antibody transmission

“…white ibis (Eudocimus albus), rock doves (Columba livia), house sparrows (Passer domesticus), great blue herons (Ardea herodias), house finches (Carpodacus mexicanus) and mourning doves (Zenaida macroura)) females naturally exposed to encephalitis viruses transmit antibodies to offspring, causing them to be resistant to infection with encephalitis (Kissling et al 1954;Reeves et al 1954;Sooter et al 1954). In kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla), the prevalence of antibodies against the Lyme disease agent, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, is higher in eggs from breeding areas with a high prevalence and abundance of ticks than in areas with a low abundance of ticks (Gasparini et al 2001).…”

“…inducible defences involve trade-offs (Frost 1999). Therefore, we would expect that elevated maternal antibody transmission would necessitate reproductive trade-offs for females (Heeb et al 1998 (a) Environmental determinants of variation in maternal antibody transmission The diversity and quantity of specific antibodies transmitted to offspring have been shown to reflect differences in the local disease environment experienced by females prior to antibody transmission (Lemke & Lange 1999;Lundin et al 1999;Gasparini et al 2001). Females not exposed to particular pathogens prior to transmission will not transfer antibodies to those pathogens, leaving their offspring susceptible to infection Leitner et al 1990).…”

Co-adjustment of yolk antioxidants and androgens in birds

“…Mothers can strongly influence these prenatal conditions through the transmission of resources, such as hormones [4], antioxidants [5] or immunoglobulins [6]. The importance of these maternally transmitted compounds in transgenerational developmental plasticity has been extensively studied in various taxa and especially in birds [7], showing that several of them (e.g.…”