Acid exposure is an immune disruptor in adult Rana pipiens.
Acidic environments are physiological stressors for amphibians. The objective of the present study was to document the effect of an acidic environment on innate immune system function under controlled experimental conditions in Rana pipiens. We developed an in vivo assay, by injecting a suspension of 1-microm fluorescent beads in fluid thioglycollate, to induce peritonitis. The number of peritoneal exudate leukocytes and their phagocytic activity did not increase with thioglycollate injection when frogs were exposed to pH 5.5 compared to when frogs were exposed to pH 7.0. An environment of pH 5.5 disrupted the inflammatory response of frogs compared to an environment of pH 7.0; at pH 5.5, more nonphagocytic leukocytes and fewer highly phagocytic leukocytes were found compared to those in frogs exposed to pH 7.0. Frogs stimulated by thioglycollate injection and exposed to pH 5.5 had a 50% increase in cells that did not exhibit phagocytosis and a 4- to 10-fold reduction in the number of highly phagocytic cells. This is evidence that acid exposure functions as an immune disruptor in adult R. pipiens under laboratory conditions.
Department of Biology, Science Division, Widener University, One University Place, Chester, Pennsylvania 19013, USA.
Itzick
I
Vatnick
Jaime
J
Andrews
Matthew
M
Colombo
Hareth
H
Madhoun
Muthuramanan
M
Rameswaran
Marc A
MA
Brodkin
D000818:Animals; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000276:immunology; D011894:Rana pipiens / Q000276:immunology*; D013864:Thioglycolates
D013864:Thioglycolates