Early exposure to Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis causes profound immunosuppression in amphibians
File(s)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Fernandez-Loras, Andres
Fernandez-Beaskoetxea, Saioa
Arriero, Elena
Fisher, Matthew C
Bosch, Jaime
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Fungal pathogens have evolved a broad suite of strategies aiming at evading the host immune response. Amphibians are globally infected by the panzootic chytrid fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd) and, while robust innate immune defences have been characterised, there is little evidence for the existence of effective adaptive immunity. We determine the immune response of the common midwife toad following challenge by Bd as larvae. Immune function was described for both the cell-mediated and antibody-mediated immune responses following infectious challenge as larval amphibians. While there were no significant differences in the ratio of neutrophils/lymphocytes between infected and uninfected individuals, early exposure of tadpoles to Bd significantly dampened the levels of circulating immunoglobulins (IgM and IgY) in the serum of juveniles after metamorphosis. Our results show that Bd immunosuppresses amphibians when infection occurs as larvae with potentially broad effects on the remodelling of immunity during metamorphosis.
Date Issued
2017-11-30
Date Acceptance
2017-11-23
Citation
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE RESEARCH, 2017, 63 (6)
ISSN
1612-4642
Publisher
SPRINGER
Journal / Book Title
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE RESEARCH
Volume
63
Issue
6
Copyright Statement
© 2017 Springer-Verlag. The final publication is available at https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10344-017-1161-y
Sponsor
Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
Identifier
http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000418192400012&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
Grant Number
NE/E006701/1
NE/K014455/1
Subjects
Science & Technology
Life Sciences & Biomedicine
Ecology
Zoology
Environmental Sciences & Ecology
Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis
Immune response
Immunosuppression
Emerging infectious disease
Early exposure
IMMUNE-SYSTEM
CHYTRID FUNGUS
CHYTRIDIOMYCOSIS
FROGS
METAMORPHOSIS
INFECTION
MORTALITY
RESPONSES
XENOPUS
0608 Zoology
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
ARTN 99