Androgen and prolactin manipulation do not induce changes in immunocompetence measures in a fish with male parental care.
J Exp Zool A Ecol Integr Physiol
; 339(3): 284-289, 2023 04.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36564859
ABSTRACT
Prolactin and 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT) are important reproductive hormones in fishes, which may also influence immunocompetence. The immunocompetence handicap hypothesis states that higher androgen concentrations that support secondary sex traits are traded off against a decrease in immune system function. To test the relationships between these hormones and immunocompetence, we experimentally manipulated 11-ketotestosterone and prolactin in the freshwater fish, bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) during parental care using implants that contained either 11-KT, prolactin, or an inert control. We vaccinated individuals to stimulate the acquired immune response, then measured immunocompetence as the number of granulocytes, lymphocytes and monocytes, and the expression of interleukin 8 in each sample. We did not observe any significant differences in the immune measures among the hormone treatments. Our results indicate that in bluegill, there is no trade-off between androgens or prolactin and immunocompetence.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Perciformes
/
Androgens
Limits:
Animals
Language:
En
Journal:
J Exp Zool A Ecol Integr Physiol
Year:
2023
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country: