Do "infectious" prey select for high levels of natural antibodies in tropical pythons?
(2007) In Evolutionary Ecology 21(2). p.271-279- Abstract
- Natural antibodies (NAbs) constitute an important component in vertebrate immune system, but, in spite of this, have often been dismissed as "non-specific background" signals. We observed a significant positive relationship between water python (Liasis fuscus) body length/age and levels of antibodies reactive with two administered antigens (tetanus and diphtheria). However, no humoral immune response to the antigens was observed. The lack of elevated immune response, and the age-associated increase in antibody titres, strongly suggest that the antibodies consisted of polyreactive NAbs, and that absence of an elevated immune response was caused by such high levels of NAbs that they were able to mask the epitopes of the antigens. In our... (More)
- Natural antibodies (NAbs) constitute an important component in vertebrate immune system, but, in spite of this, have often been dismissed as "non-specific background" signals. We observed a significant positive relationship between water python (Liasis fuscus) body length/age and levels of antibodies reactive with two administered antigens (tetanus and diphtheria). However, no humoral immune response to the antigens was observed. The lack of elevated immune response, and the age-associated increase in antibody titres, strongly suggest that the antibodies consisted of polyreactive NAbs, and that absence of an elevated immune response was caused by such high levels of NAbs that they were able to mask the epitopes of the antigens. In our study area pythons feed mainly on rodents that frequently, before being killed, are able to inflict numerous bites to the snakes. The bites most likely transmit pathogens such as bacteria. As NAbs have been shown to act as a first line defence against bacterial infections, the high levels of NAbs in the pythons may be an adaptation to reduce pathogenic effects of bacteria transmitted by the prey when the snakes are feeding. Thus, the results from present study suggest that NAbs may have an important immunological function by reducing deleterious effects of pathogens in wild populations. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/167134
- author
- Madsen, Thomas LU ; Ujvari, Beata LU ; Nandakumar, KS ; Hasselquist, Dennis LU and Holmdahl, Rikard LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2007
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- snake, humoral immune response, natural antibodies, pathogen transmission
- in
- Evolutionary Ecology
- volume
- 21
- issue
- 2
- pages
- 271 - 279
- publisher
- Springer
- external identifiers
-
- wos:000244453700010
- scopus:33847322062
- ISSN
- 1573-8477
- DOI
- 10.1007/s10682-006-9004-4
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- additional info
- The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: MEMEG (432112240), Medical Inflammation Research (013212019), Department of Biology (000016100)
- id
- 9a145db5-a14e-4cc2-8e13-15737cddc78e (old id 167134)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 12:37:42
- date last changed
- 2022-02-11 17:33:34
@article{9a145db5-a14e-4cc2-8e13-15737cddc78e,
abstract = {{Natural antibodies (NAbs) constitute an important component in vertebrate immune system, but, in spite of this, have often been dismissed as "non-specific background" signals. We observed a significant positive relationship between water python (Liasis fuscus) body length/age and levels of antibodies reactive with two administered antigens (tetanus and diphtheria). However, no humoral immune response to the antigens was observed. The lack of elevated immune response, and the age-associated increase in antibody titres, strongly suggest that the antibodies consisted of polyreactive NAbs, and that absence of an elevated immune response was caused by such high levels of NAbs that they were able to mask the epitopes of the antigens. In our study area pythons feed mainly on rodents that frequently, before being killed, are able to inflict numerous bites to the snakes. The bites most likely transmit pathogens such as bacteria. As NAbs have been shown to act as a first line defence against bacterial infections, the high levels of NAbs in the pythons may be an adaptation to reduce pathogenic effects of bacteria transmitted by the prey when the snakes are feeding. Thus, the results from present study suggest that NAbs may have an important immunological function by reducing deleterious effects of pathogens in wild populations.}},
author = {{Madsen, Thomas and Ujvari, Beata and Nandakumar, KS and Hasselquist, Dennis and Holmdahl, Rikard}},
issn = {{1573-8477}},
keywords = {{snake; humoral immune response; natural antibodies; pathogen transmission}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{2}},
pages = {{271--279}},
publisher = {{Springer}},
series = {{Evolutionary Ecology}},
title = {{Do "infectious" prey select for high levels of natural antibodies in tropical pythons?}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10682-006-9004-4}},
doi = {{10.1007/s10682-006-9004-4}},
volume = {{21}},
year = {{2007}},
}