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Effect of gender on the inducible humoral immune response to honeybee venom in the american cockroach (Periplanetaamericana)

1985; Elsevier BV; Volume: 9; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/0145-305x(85)90058-8

1879-0089

Lawrence A. Rheins, Richard D. Karp,

Healthcare and Venom Research

It is well known that in higher animals, the female of the species usually possesses a superior immune response to that of the male. We investigated the possibility that this rule of nature might also be true amongst the invertebrates. Adult female American cockroaches (Periplanetaamericana) were immunized with Honeybee venom, and their responses were compared to that of the adult male. The female primary response was found not only to be enhanced, but prolonged as compared to the male. The response was also specific and demonstrated long-term immunological memory. Thus, the humoral immune response of this advanced invertebrate shares yet another characteristic common to higher vertebrates, since the female of the species demonstrated much better immune responsiveness than the male.