Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences · 3 authors, 3 centres
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This captive study on cane toads found that individuals which lost weight over three months showed altered white blood cell profiles, including increased heterophils and monocytes, and enhanced phagocytic ability, but no overall weakening of immune performance.
The study investigated links between changes in body mass of captive cane toads, their circulating white blood cell populations, and their performance in immune assays over a three-month period. Toads that lost mass had increased levels of monocytes and heterophils, reduced levels of eosinophils, and a higher heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, with basophil and lymphocyte levels unchanged. The phagocytic ability of whole blood was higher in toads that lost mass, due to increased circulating phagocytic cells, while other immune assays were unaffected. The authors interpret this as a strategic reconfiguration of immune investment under energy restriction, shifting towards more economical innate defenses. Limitations include the preliminary nature of the results, the absence of corticosterone measurements to directly index stress, and the need for future experiments to clarify causal links and control for variables like feeding rates and competition.
