Reduced immune responsiveness contributes to winter energy conservation in an Arctic bird
(2020) In Journal of Experimental Biology 223(8).- Abstract
- Animals in seasonal environments must prudently manage energy
expenditure to survive the winter. This may be achieved through
reductions in the allocation of energy for various purposes (e.g.
thermoregulation, locomotion, etc.). We studied whether such tradeoffs
also include suppression of the innate immune response, by
subjecting captive male Svalbard ptarmigan (Lagopus muta
hyperborea) to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) during exposure
to either mild temperature (0°C) or cold snaps (acute exposure to
−20°C), in constant winter darkness when birds were in energyconserving
mode, and in constant daylight in spring. The innate
immune response was mostly unaffected by temperature. However,
energy... (More) - Animals in seasonal environments must prudently manage energy
expenditure to survive the winter. This may be achieved through
reductions in the allocation of energy for various purposes (e.g.
thermoregulation, locomotion, etc.). We studied whether such tradeoffs
also include suppression of the innate immune response, by
subjecting captive male Svalbard ptarmigan (Lagopus muta
hyperborea) to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) during exposure
to either mild temperature (0°C) or cold snaps (acute exposure to
−20°C), in constant winter darkness when birds were in energyconserving
mode, and in constant daylight in spring. The innate
immune response was mostly unaffected by temperature. However,
energy expenditure was below baseline when birds were immune
challenged in winter, but significantly above baseline in spring. This
suggests that the energetic component of the innate immune
response was reduced in winter, possibly contributing to energy
conservation. Immunological parameters decreased (agglutination,
lysis, bacteriostatic capacity) or did not change (haptoglobin/PIT54)
after the challenge, and behavioural modifications (anorexia, mass
loss) were lengthy (9 days). While we did not study the mechanisms
explaining these weak, or slow, responses, it is tempting to speculate
they may reflect the consequences of having evolved in an
environment where pathogen transmission rate is presumably low
for most of the year. This is an important consideration if climate
change and increased exploitation of the Arctic would alter pathogen
communities at a pace outwith counter-adaption in wildlife. (Less) - Abstract (Swedish)
- Animals in seasonal environments must prudently manage energy
expenditure to survive the winter. This may be achieved through
reductions in the allocation of energy for various purposes (e.g.
thermoregulation, locomotion, etc.). We studied whether such tradeoffs
also include suppression of the innate immune response, by
subjecting captive male Svalbard ptarmigan (Lagopus muta
hyperborea) to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) during exposure
to either mild temperature (0°C) or cold snaps (acute exposure to
−20°C), in constant winter darkness when birds were in energyconserving
mode, and in constant daylight in spring. The innate
immune response was mostly unaffected by temperature. However,
energy... (More) - Animals in seasonal environments must prudently manage energy
expenditure to survive the winter. This may be achieved through
reductions in the allocation of energy for various purposes (e.g.
thermoregulation, locomotion, etc.). We studied whether such tradeoffs
also include suppression of the innate immune response, by
subjecting captive male Svalbard ptarmigan (Lagopus muta
hyperborea) to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) during exposure
to either mild temperature (0°C) or cold snaps (acute exposure to
−20°C), in constant winter darkness when birds were in energyconserving
mode, and in constant daylight in spring. The innate
immune response was mostly unaffected by temperature. However,
energy expenditure was below baseline when birds were immune
challenged in winter, but significantly above baseline in spring. This
suggests that the energetic component of the innate immune
response was reduced in winter, possibly contributing to energy
conservation. Immunological parameters decreased (agglutination,
lysis, bacteriostatic capacity) or did not change (haptoglobin/PIT54)
after the challenge, and behavioural modifications (anorexia, mass
loss) were lengthy (9 days). While we did not study the mechanisms
explaining these weak, or slow, responses, it is tempting to speculate
they may reflect the consequences of having evolved in an
environment where pathogen transmission rate is presumably low
for most of the year. This is an important consideration if climate
change and increased exploitation of the Arctic would alter pathogen
communities at a pace outwith counter-adaption in wildlife. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/17e57296-9ef7-49c9-a268-0052bf2037e8
- author
- Nord, Andreas LU ; Hegemann, Arne LU and Folkow, Lars P.
- organization
- publishing date
- 2020
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- immune function, thermoregulation, bird, winter, season, Arctic, polar, bird, Arctic, polar, thermoregulation, immune response, anorexia, season, winter
- in
- Journal of Experimental Biology
- volume
- 223
- issue
- 8
- article number
- jeb219287
- pages
- 11 pages
- publisher
- The Company of Biologists Ltd
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:32341183
- scopus:85085255627
- ISSN
- 1477-9145
- DOI
- 10.1242/jeb.219287
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 17e57296-9ef7-49c9-a268-0052bf2037e8
- date added to LUP
- 2020-04-24 16:17:38
- date last changed
- 2024-04-17 07:34:38
@article{17e57296-9ef7-49c9-a268-0052bf2037e8,
abstract = {{Animals in seasonal environments must prudently manage energy<br/>expenditure to survive the winter. This may be achieved through<br/>reductions in the allocation of energy for various purposes (e.g.<br/>thermoregulation, locomotion, etc.). We studied whether such tradeoffs<br/>also include suppression of the innate immune response, by<br/>subjecting captive male Svalbard ptarmigan (Lagopus muta<br/>hyperborea) to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) during exposure<br/>to either mild temperature (0°C) or cold snaps (acute exposure to<br/>−20°C), in constant winter darkness when birds were in energyconserving<br/>mode, and in constant daylight in spring. The innate<br/>immune response was mostly unaffected by temperature. However,<br/>energy expenditure was below baseline when birds were immune<br/>challenged in winter, but significantly above baseline in spring. This<br/>suggests that the energetic component of the innate immune<br/>response was reduced in winter, possibly contributing to energy<br/>conservation. Immunological parameters decreased (agglutination,<br/>lysis, bacteriostatic capacity) or did not change (haptoglobin/PIT54)<br/>after the challenge, and behavioural modifications (anorexia, mass<br/>loss) were lengthy (9 days). While we did not study the mechanisms<br/>explaining these weak, or slow, responses, it is tempting to speculate<br/>they may reflect the consequences of having evolved in an<br/>environment where pathogen transmission rate is presumably low<br/>for most of the year. This is an important consideration if climate<br/>change and increased exploitation of the Arctic would alter pathogen<br/>communities at a pace outwith counter-adaption in wildlife.}},
author = {{Nord, Andreas and Hegemann, Arne and Folkow, Lars P.}},
issn = {{1477-9145}},
keywords = {{immune function; thermoregulation; bird; winter; season; Arctic; polar; bird; Arctic; polar; thermoregulation; immune response; anorexia; season; winter}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{8}},
publisher = {{The Company of Biologists Ltd}},
series = {{Journal of Experimental Biology}},
title = {{Reduced immune responsiveness contributes to winter energy conservation in an Arctic bird}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1242/jeb.219287}},
doi = {{10.1242/jeb.219287}},
volume = {{223}},
year = {{2020}},
}