Biology subjects

Herrera M., L. G.

Publications and source records attributed to Herrera M., L. G..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2025

Total immunoglobulin G variation through the phenological cycle of migrant and resident Long-nosed bats (Leptonycteris yerbabuenae) in the drylands of Mexico and its relationship with bacterial-killing ability of plasma.

Immunological variations of bats throughout their life cycle represent an underexplored and controversial topic that has great potential for understanding their immunology. This gap is particularly large regarding the state of immunity during early life and migration, and how different immune components interact with each other. In this study, the partial migratory long-nosed bat (Leptonycteris yerbabuenae) was used as a model to assess the state of acquired humoral immunity (total IgG concentration, tIgG) during early life, during the reproductive cycle and at the extremes of the migratory range of females. We also determined the relationship of tIgG with plasma bactericidal activity against Escherichia coli. The concentration of tIgG was stable throughout the reproductive cycle of adults, and no significant changes were detected at the extremes of the migratory range of females. However, tIgG concentration was reduced during early life (2 to 3 months of age) and in non-reproductive males in March-May 2019 relative to non-reproductive males in March 2020. The tIgG concentration had a positive relationship with plasma bactericidal ability in non-reproductive females, but no relationship was observed in non-reproductive males and reproductive females. These results suggests that tIgG concentration is resilient to physiological and ecological changes experienced by adults throughout their reproductive and migratory cycle. The reduction of tIgG during early life suggests that young individuals have not developed an IgG pool comparable to that of adults. Finally, the positive relationship observed between tIgG and BKA in non-reproductive females suggests that E. coli clearance is enhanced by the presence of antibodies that facilitate the elimination of this bacteria.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2023

COMBINED EFFECTS OF AMBIENT TEMPERATURE AND FOOD AVAILABILITY ON INDUCED INNATE IMMUNE RESPONSE OF A FRUIT-EATING BAT (CAROLLIA PERSPICILLATA)

Resilience of mammals to anthropogenic climate and land-use changes is associated with the maintenance of adequate responses of several fitness-related traits such as those related to immune functions. The combined effects of decrease in food availability (Fa) and an increase in ambient temperature (Ta) can lead to immunosuppression and greater susceptibility to disease. In this study, we measured how selected physiological and behavioral components associated with the innate immune system of fruit-eating bats (Carollia perspicillata) respond to isolated and combined effects of changes in Ta and Fa. We tested the general hypothesis that decreased Fa, increased Ta and the combined effect of both factors would affect bat immune performance. Physiological (fever, leukocytosis and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio) and behavioral (food intake) components of the acute phase response (APR), as well as bacterial killing ability of the plasma (BKA) were assessed after immune challenge with lipopolysaccharide (LPS: 10 mg/kg) in experimental groups kept at different short-term conditions of Fa (ad libitum diet or 50% food-deprived) and Ta (27 and 33{degrees}C). Our results indicate that magnitude of increase in body temperature was not affected by Fa, Ta or the interaction of both factors, but the time to reach the highest increase took longer in LPS-injected bats that were kept under food restriction. The magnitude of increased neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (N/L) was affected by the interaction between Fa and Ta, but food intake, total white blood cell count and BKA were not affected by any factor or interaction. Overall, our results suggest that BKA and most components of APR examined are not affected by short-term changes in Fa and Ta within the range evaluated in this study, and that the increase of the N/L ratio when bats are exposed to low Fa and high Ta might represent an enhancement of cellular response to deal with infection.

physiology↗

bioRxiv2023

Pernicious liaisons: antibiotic-depressed immune response of a livestock micropredator, the common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus)

Antibiotics are pharmaceutical products that have the potential to affect the immune performance of wildlife. Wildlife species might incorporate antibiotic residues in their system by feeding on livestock treated with these chemicals. One of the most important interactions of livestock with wildlife is that established with the common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus). We used vampire bats as an ecologically relevant model to test the effect of antibiotics on wildlife immune response. We tested the effect of clindamycin on the humoral and cellular acquired immune responses of common vampire bats captured in the wild in southern Mexico. We expected that both cellular and humoral acquired immune responses would be negatively affected after bats were exposed to clindamycin for several days. We measured local inflammation and serum immunoglobulin concentration (IgG) after the repeated application of phytohemagglutinin. We expected that antibiotic-exposed bats would present a weaker inflammatory response to a second injection of PHA and that their IgG serum levels did not increase to the same rate after the third PHA injection. Antibiotic-treated vampire bats exhibited weaker inflammatory response to the repeated PHA treatment: induced swelling was [~]30% larger after the second injection than that after the first injection, whereas swelling after the second injection in antibiotic-treated bats was [~]10% lower than after the first injection. There was an increase of IgG serum levels following three consecutive PHA injections but it occurred only in vampires that did not receive the antibiotic: IgG serum levels of control individuals increased [~]90% over pre-injection values, whereas this value was [~]15% lower in vampires treated with antibiotic. Our study adds to previous evidence pointing to the negative effect that exposure to anthropogenic chemicals generates in wildlife capacity to maintain a healthy immune system and warrants further work on the relationship of potential antibiotic-induced changes in gut microbiota and immune response.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2020

Sick Bats Stay Home Alone: Social distancing during the acute phase response in Egyptian fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus)

Along with its many advantages, social roosting imposes a major risk of pathogen transmission. How social animals, and especially free-ranging mammals, reduce this risk is poorly documented. We used lipopolysaccharide injection to imitate bacterial sickness in both a captive and a free-ranging colony of an extremely social, long lived mammal - the Egyptian fruit bat. We monitored behavioral and physiological responses using an arsenal of methods, including on-board GPS and acceleration, video, temperature and weight measurements, and blood samples. Sick-like bats exhibited an increased immune response, as well as classical illness symptoms including fever, weight loss, anorexia, and lethargy. Notably, they also isolated themselves from the group by leaving the social cluster and avoiding contact. Free-ranging individuals ceased foraging outdoors for at least two nights. Together, these sickness behaviors demonstrate a strong, integrative immune response which promotes recovery of infected individuals while protecting their group members from transmission of pathogens, and at the same time, reducing spillover events outside the roost.

zoology↗