ujvari-donaturalantibodies-2011.pdf (213.4 kB)
Do natural antibodies compensate for humoral immunosenescence in tropical pythons?
journal contribution
posted on 2011-01-01, 00:00 authored by Beata UjvariBeata Ujvari, Thomas MadsenThomas MadsenAgeing 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 ecologyVolume
25Issue
4Pagination
813 - 817Publisher
WileyLocation
London, Eng.Publisher DOI
Link to full text
ISSN
1365-2435Language
engPublication classification
C1.1 Refereed article in a scholarly journalUsage metrics
Categories
No categories selectedKeywords
Licence
Exports
RefWorks
BibTeX
Ref. manager
Endnote
DataCite
NLM
DC