Animals that are are immune to diseases?

[augment]

Are there animals out in the wild that never get sick or have a very high resistance to viruses and bacteria? And if there are, are we already trying to figure out why?

[ecoli]

IN the wild, there is no medicine for animals. So, when an animal gets sick (I suppose aside for very minor things) it dies, or at least is at high risk of dying.

[DrZoidberg]

In any sense ALL wild animals have competant immune systems otherwise they would not be there. Of course the strength of immune response differs between individuals due to genetic roots and environmental upbringing. Immune strengths can differ between species but all are susceptible to disease that is generic or specialist. For example the HIV virion is exclusive to invade human T cells and not monkey T cells. We now know why due to certain recognition markers lacking in monkey cells (so we are exploring other animal immune systems and learning). However, monkeys are liable to SIV infection whilst we usually aren't.

[mattbimbo]

whether a monkey succumbs to SIV depends on the species - for instance, sooty mangebey monkeys survive SIV despite enormous viral titres, the exact mechanisms of why they don't become immunodeficient are however unknown.

[mattbimbo]

it may be of interest to this thread that there is evidence for certain animals, eg strains of mice, that stronger immune responses can contribute to stronger autoimmune responses too. perhaps the most interesting research on this issue, but the most difficult to draw conclusions from, relates to the observation that human females are more prone to autoimmune diseases and that human males comparatively to females have weaker immune responses.

[the tree]

Are there animals out in the wild that never get sick or have a very high resistance to viruses and bacteria?

Just like us, most large animals have incredibly complicated immune systems that can take on most of what comes to them.

And if there are, are we already trying to figure out why?

Why would we? Other animals are often dissapointingly simmilar to us.

[DrZoidberg]

it may be of interest to this thread that there is evidence for certain animals, eg[/i'] strains of mice, that stronger immune responses can contribute to stronger autoimmune responses too. perhaps the most interesting research on this issue, but the most difficult to draw conclusions from, relates to the observation that human females are more prone to autoimmune diseases and that human males comparatively to females have weaker immune responses.

 

 

Interesting comment, any references? Perhaps a stronger and more sensitive immune system serves a greater importance in child-bearing mammals?

[mattbimbo]

references? there are many. look in pubmed/google scholar with the keywords

>male female autoimmunity (review)

or

>c57 balb strain th1 th2

 

if this begins to get interesting, i'll discuss the ideas and data more; a bit of a daunting task but i'll try.

 

the act of child bearing is well known to boost the immune system of mothers to be, and pregnancy itself diminishes autoimmunity despite the fact that the mother is carrying a child with a different immunogenecity to herself. in other words, immunologically there is an argument that the mother should be mounting an immune response against the fetus.

 

but this is a long way from the initial question!

[Skye]

Many lower animals have antibacterial chemicals in them, and they get a bit of research, eg. sponges and ants.

[DrZoidberg]

references? there are many. look in pubmed/google scholar with the keywords

>male female autoimmunity (review)

or

>c57 balb strain th1 th2

 

if this begins to get interesting' date=' i'll discuss the ideas and data more; a bit of a daunting task but i'll try.

 

the act of child bearing is well known to boost the immune system of mothers to be, and pregnancy itself diminishes autoimmunity despite the fact that the mother is carrying a child with a different immunogenecity to herself. in other words, immunologically there is an argument that the mother should be mounting an immune response against the fetus.

 

but this is a long way from the initial question![/quote']

 

 

I am interested yes, although i come from a more molecular biological background, immunology was a subject i really enjoyed and am now re-revising since my current research is immunologically based (am concerned with gene expression in mature dendritic cells).

From what i read in a good paper, and by your logic, it appears T helper cells play a big role in protecting fetal growth by creating a tolerant micro-environment, and to do this T helper cell count is greater than normal male numbers to accomplish this protection (which works to the advantage of the fetal host by enhancing immune responses)>>?

[mattbimbo]

i need to think about your post but if you are doing research involving FOXP3 in DC, can i confirm you are not one of my swedish x-girlfriends?

 

it is funny, i was going to write about the turnover of DC and T cells in relation to autoimmunity at one point earlier, but i stopped myself.

[DrZoidberg]

I can assure i am not, being im a west country geezer working in Oxford. However there are a couple nice swede girls in my lab (-:

I am investigating TLR expression.

[mattbimbo]

DrZoidBerg

From what i read in a good paper, and by your logic, it appears T helper cells play a big role in protecting fetal growth by creating a tolerant micro-environment, and to do this T helper cell count is greater than normal male numbers to accomplish this protection (which works to the advantage of the fetal host by enhancing immune responses)>>?

 

in your scheme for immune responses do T cells precede DC?