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Transgenerational priming of immunity: maternal exposure to a bacterial antigen enhances offspring humoral immunity

Grindstaff, Jennifer LU ; Hasselquist, Dennis LU ; Nilsson, Jan-Åke LU ; Sandell, Maria LU ; Smith, Henrik LU and Stjernman, Martin LU orcid (2006) In Royal Society of London. Proceedings B. Biological Sciences 273(1600). p.2551-2557
Abstract
Young vertebrates have limited capacity to synthesize antibodies and are dependent on the protection of maternally transmitted antibodies for humoral disease resistance early in life. However, mothers may enhance fitness by priming their offspring's immune systems to elevate disease resistance. Transgenerational induced defences have been documented in plants and invertebrates, but maternal priming of offspring immunity in vertebrates has been essentially neglected. To test the ability of mothers to stimulate the immune systems of offspring, we manipulated maternal and offspring antigen exposure in a wild population of birds, pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca). We show that immunization of the mother before egg laying apparently... (More)
Young vertebrates have limited capacity to synthesize antibodies and are dependent on the protection of maternally transmitted antibodies for humoral disease resistance early in life. However, mothers may enhance fitness by priming their offspring's immune systems to elevate disease resistance. Transgenerational induced defences have been documented in plants and invertebrates, but maternal priming of offspring immunity in vertebrates has been essentially neglected. To test the ability of mothers to stimulate the immune systems of offspring, we manipulated maternal and offspring antigen exposure in a wild population of birds, pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca). We show that immunization of the mother before egg laying apparently stimulates a transgenerational defence against pathogens by elevating endogenous offspring antibody production. If the disease environments encountered by mothers and offspring are similar, this transgenerational immune priming may allow young to better cope with the local pathogen fauna. (Less)
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author
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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Royal Society of London. Proceedings B. Biological Sciences
volume
273
issue
1600
pages
2551 - 2557
publisher
Royal Society Publishing
external identifiers
  • wos:000240729900020
  • scopus:33748982646
ISSN
1471-2954
DOI
10.1098/rspb.2006.3608
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
94089711-63d4-49d2-b05f-3cf2c122944b (old id 162743)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 16:31:48
date last changed
2024-01-11 09:29:21
@article{94089711-63d4-49d2-b05f-3cf2c122944b,
  abstract     = {{Young vertebrates have limited capacity to synthesize antibodies and are dependent on the protection of maternally transmitted antibodies for humoral disease resistance early in life. However, mothers may enhance fitness by priming their offspring's immune systems to elevate disease resistance. Transgenerational induced defences have been documented in plants and invertebrates, but maternal priming of offspring immunity in vertebrates has been essentially neglected. To test the ability of mothers to stimulate the immune systems of offspring, we manipulated maternal and offspring antigen exposure in a wild population of birds, pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca). We show that immunization of the mother before egg laying apparently stimulates a transgenerational defence against pathogens by elevating endogenous offspring antibody production. If the disease environments encountered by mothers and offspring are similar, this transgenerational immune priming may allow young to better cope with the local pathogen fauna.}},
  author       = {{Grindstaff, Jennifer and Hasselquist, Dennis and Nilsson, Jan-Åke and Sandell, Maria and Smith, Henrik and Stjernman, Martin}},
  issn         = {{1471-2954}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1600}},
  pages        = {{2551--2557}},
  publisher    = {{Royal Society Publishing}},
  series       = {{Royal Society of London. Proceedings B. Biological Sciences}},
  title        = {{Transgenerational priming of immunity: maternal exposure to a bacterial antigen enhances offspring humoral immunity}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2006.3608}},
  doi          = {{10.1098/rspb.2006.3608}},
  volume       = {{273}},
  year         = {{2006}},
}