Immunocompetence of breeding females is sensitive to cortisol levels but not to communal rearing in the degu (<i>Octodon degus</i>)

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dc.contributor.authorEbensperger, Luis A.
dc.contributor.authorLeon, Cecilia
dc.contributor.authorRamirez-Estrada, Juan
dc.contributor.authorAbades, Sebastian
dc.contributor.authorHayes, Loren D.
dc.contributor.authorNova, Esteban
dc.contributor.authorSalazar, Fabian
dc.contributor.authorBhattacharjee, Joydeep
dc.contributor.authorInes Becker, Maria
dc.date.accessioned2025-01-23T21:37:46Z
dc.date.available2025-01-23T21:37:46Z
dc.date.issued2015
dc.description.abstractOne hypothesis largely examined in social insects is that cooperation in the context of breeding benefits individuals through decreasing the burden of immunocompetence and provide passive immunity through social contact. Similarly, communal rearing in social mammals may benefit adult female members of social groups by reducing the cost of immunocompetence, and through the transfer of immunological compounds during allonursing. Yet, these benefits may come at a cost to breeders in terms of a need to increase investment in individual immunocompetence. We examined how these potential immunocompetence costs and benefits relate to reproductive success and survival in a natural population of the communally rearing rodent, Octodon degus. We related immunocompetence (based on ratios of white blood cell counts, total and specific immunoglobulins of G isotype titers) and fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGC) levels of adults immunized with hemocyanin from the mollusk Concholepas concholepas to measures of sociality (group size) and communal rearing (number of breeding females). Offspring immunocompetence was quantified based on circulating levels of the same immune parameters. Neither female nor offspring immunocompetence was influenced by communal rearing or sociality. These findings did not support that communal rearing and sociality enhance the ability of females to respond to immunological challenges during lactation, or contribute to enhance offspring condition (based on immunocompetence) or early survival (i.e., to 3 months of age). Instead, levels of humoral and cellular components of immunocompetence were associated with variation in glucorcorticoid levels of females. We hypothesize that this covariation is driven by physiological (life-history) adjustments needed to sustain breeding. (C) 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
dc.fuente.origenWOS
dc.identifier.doi10.1016/j.physbeh.2014.12.028
dc.identifier.eissn1873-507X
dc.identifier.issn0031-9384
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2014.12.028
dc.identifier.urihttps://repositorio.uc.cl/handle/11534/101582
dc.identifier.wosidWOS:000349588400009
dc.language.isoen
dc.pagina.final70
dc.pagina.inicio61
dc.revistaPhysiology & behavior
dc.rightsacceso restringido
dc.subjectImmunocompetence
dc.subjectOctodon degus
dc.subjectConcholepas hemocyanin
dc.subjectDirect fitness
dc.subjectCortisol
dc.subjectSociality
dc.subjectSocial immunity
dc.subjectCommunal rearing
dc.subject.ods13 Climate Action
dc.subject.ods15 Life on Land
dc.subject.odspa13 Acción por el clima
dc.subject.odspa15 Vida de ecosistemas terrestres
dc.titleImmunocompetence of breeding females is sensitive to cortisol levels but not to communal rearing in the degu (<i>Octodon degus</i>)
dc.typeartículo
dc.volumen140
sipa.indexWOS
sipa.trazabilidadWOS;2025-01-12
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