The effect of carotenoid supplementation on immune system development in juvenile male veiled chameleons (Chamaeleo calyptratus)

Abstract

IntroductionNutrient availability, assimilation, and allocation can have important and lasting effects on the immune system development of growing animals. Though carotenoid pigments have immunostimulatory properties in many animals, relatively little is known regarding how they influence the immune system during development. Moreover, studies linking carotenoids to health at any life stage have largely been restricted to birds and mammals. We investigated the effects of carotenoid supplementation on multiple aspects of immunity in juvenile veiled chameleons (Chamaeleo calyptratus). We supplemented half of the chameleons with lutein (a xanthophyll carotenoid) for 14 weeks during development and serially measured multiple aspects of immune function, including: agglutination and lysis performance of plasma, wound healing, and plasma nitric oxide concentrations before and after wounding.ResultsThough lutein supplementation effectively elevated circulating carotenoid concentrations throughout the developmental period, we found no evidence that carotenoid repletion enhanced immune function at any point. However, agglutination and lysis scores increased, while baseline nitric oxide levels decreased, as chameleons aged.ConclusionsTaken together, our results indicate that body mass and age, but not carotenoid access, may play an important role in immune performance of growing chameleons. Hence, studying well-understood physiological processes in novel taxa can provide new perspectives on alternative physiological processes and nutrient function.

What are carotenoids signaling? Immunostimulatory effects of dietary vitamin E, but not of carotenoids, in Iberian green lizards

“…We did not find evidence of any effect of carotenoids on the PHA-induced immune response of green lizards. Similarly, carotenoid supplementation has no effects on several aspects of immune performance of growing juvenile chameleons (Chamaeleo calyptratus) (McCartney et al 2014). In agreement, carotenoid intake in male Australian painted dragon lizards (Ctenophorus pictus) does not reduce circulating levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) or baseline superoxide (bSO), suggesting that carotenoids are inefficient antioxidants in vivo in these lizards.…”

“…A meta-analysis shows a low effect size for the relationships of circulating carotenoid level with immunocompetence and oxidative stress in birds, suggesting that these relationships might not be causal and that complementary mechanisms maintaining honesty might be involved (Simons et al 2012). However, studies on the role of carotenoids in other animals also showing carotenoid dependent coloration, such as some lizards, are less frequent (Olsson et al 2008;Fitze et al 2009;López et al 2009;San-José et al 2012a,b;Kopena et al 2014;McCartney et al 2014), and the relationship between carotenoid intake and immune response has been little explored.…”

Social costs enforce honesty of a dynamic signal of motivation

“…All cages were located in a temperature-controlled vivarium at Arizona State University, and each cage was equipped with a UV light source and heat lamp. Additional housing and husbandry details are detailed elsewhere [44].…”

Effect of carotenoid class and dose on the larval growth and development of the critically endangered southern corroboree frog

“…To date, a number of dietary manipulation studies have investigated the influence of carotenoid supplementation on growth and development in various vertebrate groups ( Cucco et al , 2006 ; Wang et al , 2006 ; Ogilvy et al , 2012 ; McCartney et al , 2014 ; Pham et al , 2014 ; Cothran et al , 2015 ; Byrne and Silla, 2017 ). Despite this research, evidence for positive effects remains equivocal.…”

“…Due to fundamental differences in the structure and function of carotenes and xanthophylls, there is reason to expect that carotenoids from these classes will differ in their capacity to support growth and development. Despite this, most past studies have only tested the effects of carotenoids from a single class (most commonly β-carotene, lutein, or zeaxanthin) ( Cucco et al , 2006 ; Larcombe et al , 2010 ; Butler and McGraw, 2012 ; Orledge et al , 2012 ; Sutherland et al , 2012 ; McCartney et al , 2014 ; Cothran et al , 2015 ). Studies directly comparing the effects of carotenes and xanthophylls are urgently needed to deepen our understanding of how different carotenoid classes influence vertebrate growth and development.…”