Susceptibility of frogs to chytridiomycosis correlates with increased levels of immunomodulatory serotonin in the skin

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Claytor, Sieara C
Gummer, Joel PA
Grogan, Laura F
Skerratt, Lee F
Webb, Rebecca J
Brannelly, Laura A
Berger, Lee
Roberts, Alexandra A
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2019
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Abstract

Chytridiomycosis, caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), is a skin disease responsible for the global decline of amphibians. Frog species and populations can vary in susceptibility, but this phenomenon remains poorly understood. Here, we investigated serotonin in the skin of infected and uninfected frogs. In more susceptible frog populations, skin serotonin rose with increasing infection intensity, but decreased in later stages of the disease. The more resistant population maintained a basal level of skin serotonin. Serotonin inhibited both Bd sporangial growth and Jurkat lymphocyte proliferation in vitro. However, serotonin accumulates in skin granular glands, and this compartmentalisation may prevent inhibition of Bd growth in vivo. We suggest that skin serotonin increases in susceptible frogs due to pathogen excretion of precursor tryptophan, but that resistant frogs are able to control the levels of serotonin. Overall, the immunosuppressive effects of serotonin may contribute to the susceptibility of frogs to chytridiomycosis.

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Cellular Microbiology

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21

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10

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© 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Susceptibility of frogs to chytridiomycosis correlates with increased levels of immunomodulatory serotonin in the skin, Cellular Microbiology, Volume 21, Issue 10, pp e13089:1-e13089:11. , which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1111/cmi.13089. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Self-Archiving (http://olabout.wiley.com/WileyCDA/Section/id-828039.html)

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Microbiology

Medical microbiology

Science & Technology

Life Sciences & Biomedicine

Cell Biology

BATRACHOCHYTRIUM-DENDROBATIDIS

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Claytor, SC; Gummer, JPA; Grogan, LF; Skerratt, LF; Webb, RJ; Brannelly, LA; Berger, L; Roberts, AA, Susceptibility of frogs to chytridiomycosis correlates with increased levels of immunomodulatory serotonin in the skin, Cellular Microbiology, 2019, 21 (10), pp. e13089:1-e13089:11

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