Deakin University
Browse
ujvari-donaturalantibodies-2011.pdf (213.4 kB)

Do natural antibodies compensate for humoral immunosenescence in tropical pythons?

Download (213.4 kB)
journal contribution
posted on 2011-01-01, 00:00 authored by Beata UjvariBeata Ujvari, Thomas MadsenThomas Madsen
Ageing is frequently claimed to result in an age-dependent deterioration in immune function. Our results, however, based on 30 known-aged water pythons (Liasis fuscus; age ranging from <1 to 18 years) immunized with keyhole limpet haemocyanin (KLH), demonstrate that age-related changes in immune function may follow different and opposing pathways. Python-specific humoral antibodies (SpAb) showed an age-dependent decrease in cross-reactivity to KLH, whereas natural antibodies (NAbs) ability to bind to this antigen increased with age. Notably, when humoral SpAb and NAb titres were combined, no effect of age was detected in antibody cross-reactivity, strongly suggesting that NAbs may play a crucial role in maintaining immunocompetence during the ageing process.

History

Journal

Functional ecology

Volume

25

Issue

4

Pagination

813 - 817

Publisher

Wiley

Location

London, Eng.

ISSN

1365-2435

Language

eng

Publication classification

C1.1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal