Plasticity of immunity in response to eating
Luoma, R. L.; Butler, Michael W.; Stahlschmidt, Z. R.
Following a meal, an animal can exhibit dramatic shifts in physiology
and morphology, as well as a substantial increase in metabolic rate
associated with the energetic costs of processing a meal (i.e. specific
dynamic action, SDA). However, little is known about the effects of
digestion on another important physiological and energetically costly
trait: immune function. Thus, we tested two competing hypotheses.
(1) Digesting animals up-regulate their immune systems (putatively in
response to the increased microbial exposure associated with
ingested food). (2) Digesting animals down-regulate their immune
systems (presumably to allocate energy to the breakdown of food).
We assayed innate immunity (lytic capacity and agglutination) in
cornsnakes (Pantherophis guttatus) during and after meal digestion.
Lytic capacity was higher in females, and (in support of our first
hypothesis) agglutination was higher during absorption. Given its
potential energetic cost, immune up-regulation may contribute to
SDA.
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