Elevated corticosterone levels are associated with increased immunocompetence in male toads, both when calling and under experimental conditions.

ABSTRACT

Circulating androgens can influence immune responses and sexual traits in male vertebrates. However, in the last 20 years, glucocorticoids have also been implicated as a possible source of variation in male sexual traits and immunocompetence. In this context, we studied the relations between male vocal mating display, immunity, androgens, and glucocorticoids in the explosive breeding toad Rhinella granulosa. In the field, males with high calling effort display either high- or low-corticosterone (CORT) plasma levels, but only males with both high calling effort and high CORT plasma levels showed high bacterial killing ability (BKA), suggesting that the acute CORT elevation can be immunostimulatory. CORT treatments increased BKA in laboratory experiments, confirming the functional relationship observed in the field. However, toads treated with a low dose of CORT increased BKA for 10 h after the treatment, while toads that received a high dose increased BKA for only 1 h after the treatment. These results indicate that different CORT doses can result in temporal differences in the immune response. We did not find any relationship between calling effort, immune response (BKA and PHA swelling response), and testosterone plasma levels in the field, or any effects of testosterone treatment on immunocompetence. Our results suggest a complex relationship between calling effort and immunity, mediated by CORT plasma levels.