Lunar-linked biorhythms in the immune system of freshwater three-spined stickleback

Jackson, Joseph A; Stewart, Alexander; Cable, Joanne

Abstract

Immune responses are widely accepted to be under circadian regulation via a molecular clock, with many practical consequences, but much less is known of how other biorhythms could affect the immune system. In this study we search for lunar rhythms (circalunar, circasemilunar and circatidal cycles) in the immune expression of the recently marine-derived freshwater fish, the low-plate morph of the three-spined stickleback. We employed time series of immune expression (mRNA) measurements for 14 immune-associated genes, representing a variety of immunological pathways. Times series measurements were taken on fish populations in the wild, in seminatural outdoor mesocosms and in the laboratory, according to sampling regimens originally designed to study circannual variation but with the additional potential to provide information about lunar variation. Our evidence best supported the existence of a very small endogenous tidal rhythm. This is consistent with previous suggestions of the existence of a primordial tidal endogenous clock, some elements of which may be conserved in animals evolving outside the marine environment.

Citation

Jackson, J. A., Stewart, A., & Cable, J. (in press). Lunar-linked biorhythms in the immune system of freshwater three-spined stickleback. #Journal not on list, 3, https://doi.org/10.1093/discim/kyae007

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jun 3, 2024
• Online Publication Date: May 25, 2024
• Deposit Date: Jun 12, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 12, 2024
• Journal: Discovery Immunology
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 3
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/discim/kyae007