Comparative study of the relationships between immunocompetence and plasmatic levels of gonadal and inter-renal steroids in toads

• Grant number: 13/00900-1
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: July 01, 2013 - December 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Physiology - Compared Physiology
• Principal Investigator: Fernando Ribeiro Gomes
• Grantee: Fernando Ribeiro Gomes
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated grant(s): 14/50643-8 - Effects of extreme seasonality on metabolism and immunity of amphibians in a tropical semi-arid zone, AP.R SPRINT

Abstract

The endocrine system constitutes a major controller of the expression of evolutionary trade-offs between several characteristics of the phenotype. In male vertebrates, for example, testicular and inter-renal steroids are elevated in the bloodstream during the reproductive season, allowing the maturation of gametes and the expression of morphological and behavioral sexual secondary characters. However, studies conducted mainly with endotherm tetrapods have shown that the maintenance of higher levels of these steroids during the reproductive season is associated to immunosuppression and higher parasite intensity. Although several studies have shown variation in testicular and inter-renal steroids throughout the breeding season in ectotherm tetrapods, studies of its covariation with immunocompetence throughout the year, as well as the causal relation between steroid levels and immunocompetence remain elusive for these groups. In this way, considering the role of steroid hormones from testicles and inter-renal glands as mediators of different aspects of the phenotype of clear relevance to fitness, in different reproductive phases in vertebrates, we propose two studies associated to this theme. The first subproject concerns the causal relation between plasma levels of corticosterone (CORT), testosterone (T) and immunocompetence in different species of toads (Genus Rhinella), and the second subproject explore the relation between annual variation of CORT and T plasma levels and immunocompetence in R. jimi from the Brazilian semi-arid (Caatinga). These two subprojects correspond to themes of two Ph.D theses and, understanding that these are complementary studies in terms of theory and methodology, they were joined in one research proposal. (AU)

Scientific publications

(11)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

ASSIS, VANIA REGINA; MONTEIRO TITON, STEFANNY CHRISTIE; GOMES, FERNANDO RIBEIRO. Acute stress, steroid plasma levels, and innate immunity in Brazilian toads. General and Comparative Endocrinology, v. 273, n. SI, p. 86-97, MAR 1 2019. (11/10560-8, 13/00900-1)

MADELAIRE, CARLA BONETTI; CASSETTARI, BRUNA DE OLIVEIRA; GOMES, FERNANDO RIBEIRO. Immunomodulation by testosterone and corticosterone in toads: Experimental evidences from transdermal application. General and Comparative Endocrinology, v. 273, n. SI, p. 227-235, MAR 1 2019. (12/24206-4, 13/00900-1)

MORETTI, EDUARDO HERMOGENES; ORTEGA CHINCHILLA, JESUS EDUARDO; MARQUES, FERNANDO SILVEIRA; FERNANDES, PEDRO AUGUSTO C. M.; GOMES, FERNANDO RIBEIRO. Behavioral fever decreases metabolic response to lipopolysaccharide in yellow Cururu toads (Rhinella icterica). Physiology & Behavior, v. 191, p. 73-81, JUL 1 2018. (13/00900-1)

GIORGI BARSOTTI, ADRIANA MARIA; TITON JUNIOR, BRAZ; MONTEIRO TITON, STEFANNY CHRISTIE; GOMES, FERNANDO RIBEIRO. Dehydration as a stressor in toads (Rhinella ornata). JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART A-ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY, v. 331, n. 3, p. 168-174, MAR 2019. (13/00900-1, 16/05024-3, 14/16320-7)

GIORGI BARSOTTI, ADRIANA MARIA; DE ASSIS, VANIA REGINA; MONTEIRO TITON, STEFANNY CHRISTIE; TITON JUNIOR, BRAZ; DA SILVA FERREIRA, ZULMA FELISBINA; GOMES, FERNANDO RIBEIRO. ACTH modulation on corticosterone, melatonin, testosterone and innate immune response in the tree frog Hypsiboas faber. COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY A-MOLECULAR & INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY, v. 204, p. 177-184, FEB 2017. (11/10560-8, 13/00900-1)

MONTEIRO TITON, STEFANNY CHRISTIE; ASSIS, VANIA REGINA; TITON JUNIOR, BRAZ; CASSETTARI, BRUNA DE OLIVEIRA; CARLOS MAGNO FERNANDES, PEDRO AUGUSTO; GOMES, FERNANDO RIBEIRO. Captivity effects on immune response and steroid plasma levels of a Brazilian toad (Rhinella schneideri). JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART A-ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY, v. 327, n. 2-3, p. 127-138, FEB-MAR 2017. (13/00900-1)

OLIVEIRA BASTOS, PRISCILLA RACHEL; MONTEIRO TITON, STEFANNY CHRISTIE; TITON JUNIOR, BRAZ; GOMES, FERNANDO RIBEIRO; MARKUS, REGINA P.; FERREIRA, ZULMA S.. Daily and LPS-induced variation of endocrine mediators in cururu toads (Rhinella icterica). CHRONOBIOLOGY INTERNATIONAL, v. 39, n. 1, SEP 2021. (13/13691-1, 13/00900-1)

ASSIS, VANIA REGINA; MONTEIRO TITON, STEFANNY CHRISTIE; TEIXEIRA QUEIROZ-HAZARBASSANOV, NICOLLE GILDA; MASSOCO, CRISTINA DE OLIVEIRA; GOMES, FERNANDO RIBEIRO. Corticosterone transdermal application in toads (Rhinella icterica): Effects on cellular and humoral immunity and steroid plasma levels. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART A-ECOLOGICAL GENETICS AND PHYSIOLOGY, v. 327, n. 4, p. 200-213, APR 2017. (11/10560-8, 13/00900-1)

DE ASSIS, VANIA REGINA; MONTEIRO TITON, STEFANNY CHRISTIE; GIORGI BARSOTTI, ADRIANA MARIA; TITON, JR., BRAZ; GOMES, FERNANDO RIBEIRO. Effects of Acute Restraint Stress, Prolonged Captivity Stress and Transdermal Corticosterone Application on Immunocompetence and Plasma Levels of Corticosterone on the Cururu Toad (Rhinella icterica). PLoS One, v. 10, n. 4, APR 1 2015. (11/10560-8, 13/00900-1)

MONTEIRO TITON, STEFANNY CHRISTIE; TITON JUNIOR, BRAZ; ASSIS, VANIA REGINA; KINKER, GABRIELA SARTI; CARLOS MAGNO FERNANDES, PEDRO AUGUSTO; GOMES, FERNANDO RIBEIRO. Interplay among steroids, body condition and immunity in response to long-term captivity in toads. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v. 8, NOV 21 2018. (14/16320-7, 13/00900-1)

CASSETTARI, BRUNA OLIVEIRA; MADELAIRE, CARLA BONETTI; GOMES, FERNANDO RIBEIRO. Elevated corticosterone levels are associated with increased immunocompetence in male toads, both when calling and under experimental conditions. Hormones and Behavior, v. 137, JAN 2022. (12/24206-4, 13/00900-1, 13/10360-4)