| Title: | Immune activation affects chemical sexual ornaments of male Iberian wall lizards |
| Author(s): | Lopez P; Gabirot M; Martin J; |
| Address: | "Departamento de Ecologia Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, C.S.I.C., Jose Gutierrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain. Pilar.Lopez@mncn.csic.es" |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s00114-008-0451-3 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 0028-1042 (Print) 0028-1042 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Many animals use chemical signals in sexual selection, but it is not clear how these sexual traits might have evolved to signal honestly male condition. It is possible that there is a trade-off between maintaining the immune system and the elaboration of ornaments. We experimentally challenged the immune system of male Iberian wall lizards, Podarcis hispanica, with a bacterial antigen (lipopolysaccharide), without pathogenic effects, to explore whether the immune activation affected chemical ornaments. Immune activation resulted in decreased proportions of a major chemical in femoral secretions (cholesta-5,7-dien-3-ol = provitamin D(3)) known to be selected in scent of males by females and which active form (vitamin D) has a variety of important effects on immune system function. This result suggests the existence of a potential trade-off between physiological regulation of the immune system and the allocation of essential nutrients (vitamins) to sexual chemical ornaments in male lizards" |
| Keywords: | "Animals Antigens, Bacterial/pharmacology Choice Behavior/drug effects/*physiology Female Genitalia, Male/metabolism Lipopolysaccharides/*pharmacology Lizards/*physiology Male Seasons *Sex Attractants *Sexual Behavior, Animal/drug effects Spain;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineLopez, Pilar Gabirot, Marianne Martin, Jose eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Germany 2008/10/08 Naturwissenschaften. 2009 Jan; 96(1):65-9. doi: 10.1007/s00114-008-0451-3. Epub 2008 Oct 7" |
