Changes in haemolymph parameters and insect ability to respond to immune challenge during overwintering
Abstract Overwintering is a challenging period in the life of temperate insects. A limited energy budget characteristic of this period can result in reduced investment in immune system. Here, we investigated selected physiological and immunological parameters in laboratory‐reared and field‐collected...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2021-05-01
|
| Series: | Ecology and Evolution |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7323 |
| _version_ | 1819050360489115648 |
|---|---|
| author | Michal Řeřicha Pavel Dobeš Michal Knapp |
| author_facet | Michal Řeřicha Pavel Dobeš Michal Knapp |
| author_sort | Michal Řeřicha |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Overwintering is a challenging period in the life of temperate insects. A limited energy budget characteristic of this period can result in reduced investment in immune system. Here, we investigated selected physiological and immunological parameters in laboratory‐reared and field‐collected harlequin ladybirds (Harmonia axyridis). For laboratory‐reared beetles, we focused on the effects of winter temperature regime (cold, average, or warm winter) on total haemocyte concentration aiming to investigate potential effects of ongoing climate change on immune system in overwintering insects. We recorded strong reduction in haemocyte concentration during winter; however, there were only limited effects of winter temperature regime on changes in haemocyte concentration in the course of overwintering. For field‐collected beetles, we measured additional parameters, specifically: total protein concentration, antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, and haemocyte concentration before and after overwintering. The field experiment did not investigate effects of winter temperature, but focused on changes in inducibility of insect immune system during overwintering, that is, measured parameters were compared between naïve beetles and those challenged by Escherichia coli. Haemocyte concentration decreased during overwintering, but only in individuals challenged by Escherichia coli. Prior to overwintering, the challenged beetles had a significantly higher haemocyte concentration compared to naïve beetles, whereas no difference was observed after overwintering. A similar pattern was observed also for antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli as challenged beetles outperformed naïve beetles before overwintering, but not after winter. In both sexes, total protein concentration increased in the course of overwintering, but females had a significantly higher total protein concentration in their hemolymph compared to males. In general, our results revealed that insect’s ability to respond to an immune challenge is significantly reduced in the course of overwintering. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-21T11:46:49Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-72a7dadd93aa4563815595e574d3c7ae |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-7758 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-21T11:46:49Z |
| publishDate | 2021-05-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-72a7dadd93aa4563815595e574d3c7ae2022-12-21T19:05:10ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582021-05-011194267427510.1002/ece3.7323Changes in haemolymph parameters and insect ability to respond to immune challenge during overwinteringMichal Řeřicha0Pavel Dobeš1Michal Knapp2Department of Ecology Faculty of Environmental Sciences Czech University of Life Sciences Prague Prague ‐ Suchdol Czech RepublicDepartment of Experimental Biology Faculty of Science Masaryk University Brno Czech RepublicDepartment of Ecology Faculty of Environmental Sciences Czech University of Life Sciences Prague Prague ‐ Suchdol Czech RepublicAbstract Overwintering is a challenging period in the life of temperate insects. A limited energy budget characteristic of this period can result in reduced investment in immune system. Here, we investigated selected physiological and immunological parameters in laboratory‐reared and field‐collected harlequin ladybirds (Harmonia axyridis). For laboratory‐reared beetles, we focused on the effects of winter temperature regime (cold, average, or warm winter) on total haemocyte concentration aiming to investigate potential effects of ongoing climate change on immune system in overwintering insects. We recorded strong reduction in haemocyte concentration during winter; however, there were only limited effects of winter temperature regime on changes in haemocyte concentration in the course of overwintering. For field‐collected beetles, we measured additional parameters, specifically: total protein concentration, antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli, and haemocyte concentration before and after overwintering. The field experiment did not investigate effects of winter temperature, but focused on changes in inducibility of insect immune system during overwintering, that is, measured parameters were compared between naïve beetles and those challenged by Escherichia coli. Haemocyte concentration decreased during overwintering, but only in individuals challenged by Escherichia coli. Prior to overwintering, the challenged beetles had a significantly higher haemocyte concentration compared to naïve beetles, whereas no difference was observed after overwintering. A similar pattern was observed also for antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli as challenged beetles outperformed naïve beetles before overwintering, but not after winter. In both sexes, total protein concentration increased in the course of overwintering, but females had a significantly higher total protein concentration in their hemolymph compared to males. In general, our results revealed that insect’s ability to respond to an immune challenge is significantly reduced in the course of overwintering.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7323antimicrobial responsebacterial challengeClimate changecold tolerancefluctuating temperatureshaemocytes |
| spellingShingle | Michal Řeřicha Pavel Dobeš Michal Knapp Changes in haemolymph parameters and insect ability to respond to immune challenge during overwintering Ecology and Evolution antimicrobial response bacterial challenge Climate change cold tolerance fluctuating temperatures haemocytes |
| title | Changes in haemolymph parameters and insect ability to respond to immune challenge during overwintering |
| title_full | Changes in haemolymph parameters and insect ability to respond to immune challenge during overwintering |
| title_fullStr | Changes in haemolymph parameters and insect ability to respond to immune challenge during overwintering |
| title_full_unstemmed | Changes in haemolymph parameters and insect ability to respond to immune challenge during overwintering |
| title_short | Changes in haemolymph parameters and insect ability to respond to immune challenge during overwintering |
| title_sort | changes in haemolymph parameters and insect ability to respond to immune challenge during overwintering |
| topic | antimicrobial response bacterial challenge Climate change cold tolerance fluctuating temperatures haemocytes |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.7323 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT michalrericha changesinhaemolymphparametersandinsectabilitytorespondtoimmunechallengeduringoverwintering AT paveldobes changesinhaemolymphparametersandinsectabilitytorespondtoimmunechallengeduringoverwintering AT michalknapp changesinhaemolymphparametersandinsectabilitytorespondtoimmunechallengeduringoverwintering |