Immune response affects ant trophallactic behaviour

Souza, Danival José de; Vlaenderen, Johan Van; Moret, Yannick; Lenoir, Alain

doi:10.1016/j.jinsphys.2008.03.001

Cited by 30 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Although a similar induction of trophallactic exchanges was reported in Camponotus fellah [13], no connection between trophallaxis and the social spread of disease resistance was tested.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

“…For behavioural, antimicrobial and protein analyses, median workers were randomly divided into four treatments: (i) naive: cold-immobilized only; (ii) Ringer: injected with sterile Ringer solution; (iii) immunized: injected with 10 8 cells ml 21 of heat-killed S. marcescens; and (iv) LPS: injected with 5 mg ml 21 of LPS in sterile Ringer. Workers were injected with 0.5 ml according to treatment as described by de Souza et al [13]. Ants used for behavioural observations were immediately isolated, while ants used for antimicrobial activity and protein analyses were placed in respective treatment groups of 30.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Trophallaxis and prophylaxis: social immunity in the carpenter ant Camponotus pennsylvanicus

2010

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In social insects, group behaviour can increase disease resistance among nest-mates and generate social prophylaxis. Stomodeal trophallaxis, or mutual feeding through regurgitation, may boost colony-level immunocompetence. We provide evidence for increased trophallactic behaviour among immunized workers of the carpenter ant Camponotus pennsylvanicus , which, together with increased antimicrobial activity of the regurgitate droplet, help explain the improved survival of droplet recipient ants relative to controls following an immune challenge. We have identified a protein related to cathepsin D, a lysosomal protease, as a potential contributor to the antimicrobial activity. The combined behavioural and immunological responses to infection in these ants probably represent an effective mechanism underlying the social facilitation of disease resistance, which could potentially produce socially mediated colony-wide prophylaxis. The externalization and sharing of an individual's immune responses via trophallaxis could be an important component of social immunity, allowing insect colonies to thrive under high pathogenic pressures.

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“…Although a similar induction of trophallactic exchanges was reported in Camponotus fellah [13], no connection between trophallaxis and the social spread of disease resistance was tested.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 90%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trophallaxis and prophylaxis: social immunity in the carpenter ant Camponotus pennsylvanicus

2010

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“…The spectral signature of the implants was measured using ImageJ software,National Institutes of Health, USA [31]. The mean absorbance value was adopted as a measure of the rate of encapsulation with values from zero to 255.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Immunity of an Alternative Host Can Be Overcome by Higher Densities of Its Parasitoids Palmistichus elaeisis and Trichospilus diatraeae

et al. 2010

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Interactions of the parasitoids Palmistichus elaeisis Delvare & LaSalle and Trichospilus diatraeae Cherian & Margabandhu (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) with its alternative host Anticarsia gemmatalis (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) affect the success or failure of the mass production of these parasitoids for use in integrated pest management programs. The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in the cellular defense and encapsulation ability of A. gemmatalis pupae against P. elaeisis or T. diatraeae in adult parasitoid densities of 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 or 13 parasitoids/pupae. We evaluated the total quantity of circulating hemocytes and the encapsulation rate versus density. Increasing parasitoid density reduced the total number of hemocytes in the hemolymph and the encapsulation rate by parasitized pupae. Furthermore, densities of P. elaeisis above 5 parasitoids/pupae caused higher reduction in total hemocyte numbers. The encapsulation rate fell with increasing parasitoid density. However, parasitic invasion by both species induced generally similar responses. The reduction in defensive capacity of A. gemmatalis is related to the adjustment of the density of these parasitoids to their development in this host. Thus, the role of the density of P. elaeisis or T. diatraeae by pupa is induced suppression of cellular defense and encapsulation of the host, even without them possesses a co-evolutionary history. Furthermore, these findings can predict the success of P. elaeisis and T. diatraeae in the control of insect pests through the use of immunology as a tool for evaluation of natural enemies.

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“…There have been multiple reports of either increases [44,45] or decreases [43,59 ,70] in the frequency of trophallaxis involving pathogen-exposed or immunestimulated workers (but see [71]). In honeybees, Nosema-infected workers both increase their food intake and decrease their willingness to share food with nestmates [70].…”

Section: Modulation Of Social Contactsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It was hypothesised that this may help contain disease by decreasing pathogen transmission risk from infected to healthy workers. Moreover, grooming of treated workers has been consistently reported to increase following pathogen exposure or immune stimulation in ants, termites and honeybees [43,46,47 ,59 ,71-75] (but see [44]). Although grooming reduces the infection risk of pathogen-exposed individuals via mechanical removal of infectious particles from their body surface [72,75], sometimes combined with chemical disinfection [76], it also increases the risk of pathogen transmission to the grooming individuals [71,72].…”

Section: Modulation Of Social Contactsmentioning

confidence: 99%