Honey bee Apis mellifera L. Responses to Oxidative Stress Induced by Pharmacological and Pesticide Compounds

Authors: FAIZAN, TAHIR - University Of Southern Mississippi; Goblirsch, Michael; Adamczyk, John; KARIM, SHAHID - University Of Southern Mississippi; Alburaki, Mohamed

Submitted to: Frontiers in Genetics
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/11/2023
Publication Date: 11/21/2023
Citation: Faizan, T., Goblirsch, M.J., Adamczyk Jr, J.J., Karim, S., Alburaki, M. 2023. Honey bee Apis mellifera L. Responses to Oxidative Stress Induced by Pharmacological and Pesticide Compounds. Frontiers in Genetics. https://doi.org/10.3389/frbee.2023.1275862.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/frbee.2023.1275862

Interpretive Summary: Honey bees play a major role in the pollination of many plants and food crops. Honey bees face multiple biotic and abiotic stressors, such as pathogens, diseases, chemical pesticides, and climate challenges, which can all contribute to honey bee colony decline. This study investigated the impacts of multiple pharmacological and pesticide molecules on honey bee health. In the laboratory, sublethal doses of various chemical stressors, including pesticides, were administered to young honey bees. Daily treatment consumption and mortality were recorded, as well as the expression of twelve major genes which are markers of oxidative and Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) stresses in honey bees. Results showed significant negative effects (i.e. higher protein damage) of some of these compounds on honey bee health while identifying some likely genes that were correlated with these effects.

Technical Abstract: The western honey bee, Apis mellifera L., is a eusocial insect that plays major roles in ecosystem balances and pollination of plants and food crops. Honey bees face multiple biotic and abiotic stressors, such as pathogens, diseases, chemical pesticides, and climate challenges which all contribute to honey bee colony loss. This study investigated the impacts of multiple pharmacological and pesticide molecules on honey bee survival and gene regulation responses. In an 11-day cage experiment, sublethal doses of tunicamycin, thapsigargin, metformin, paraquat, hydrogen peroxide, and imidacloprid were administered to newly emerged sister bees. Daily treatment consumption and mortality were recorded, as well as the transcription expression of twelve major genes (AChE-2, Apisimin, Apidaecin, mrjp1, Sodq, cp450, SelT, SelK, Ire1, Xbp1, Derl-1, Hsc70), some of which are markers of oxidative and Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) stresses in bees. At day 9 of the treatments, protein damage was quantified in caged bees. Kaplan-Meier model indicated significant (p < 0.001) toxicological effects of paraquat, H2O2 and tunicamycin on bee survivorship compared to controls with better survivals for other molecules. Post-ingestive aversion responses were recorded only in the case of Tunicamycin, Hydrogen Peroxide and Imidacloprid. Nonetheless, significantly higher protein damage on day 9 was only identified in bees exposed to paraquat and imidacloprid. Some antioxidant genes significantly regulated vis-à-vis specific treatments. Our results reveal age-related regulation of other major genes with significant inter-gene positive correlations.