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Unraveling the Role of Antimicrobial Peptides in Insects. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065753. [PMID: 36982826 PMCID: PMC10059942 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are short, mainly positively charged, amphipathic molecules. AMPs are important effectors of the immune response in insects with a broad spectrum of antibacterial, antifungal, and antiparasitic activity. In addition to these well-known roles, AMPs exhibit many other, often unobvious, functions in the host. They support insects in the elimination of viral infections. AMPs participate in the regulation of brain-controlled processes, e.g., sleep and non-associative learning. By influencing neuronal health, communication, and activity, they can affect the functioning of the insect nervous system. Expansion of the AMP repertoire and loss of their specificity is connected with the aging process and lifespan of insects. Moreover, AMPs take part in maintaining gut homeostasis, regulating the number of endosymbionts as well as reducing the number of foreign microbiota. In turn, the presence of AMPs in insect venom prevents the spread of infection in social insects, where the prey may be a source of pathogens.
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Nguyen TN, Jeng MJ, Chen NY, Yang CC. Outcomes of wasp and bee stings in Taiwan. Clin Toxicol (Phila) 2023; 61:181-185. [PMID: 36892552 DOI: 10.1080/15563650.2023.2173075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The families of Hymenoptera causing commonly poisonous animal stings in Taiwan include Apoidea (bee) and Vespidae (wasp). This study aimed to investigate the epidemiologic, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of the severity of envenomation following wasp or bee stings in Taiwan. METHODS We conducted a retrospective study by identifying all wasp and bee sting-related envenomation reported to the Taiwan National Poison Control Center between January 2001 and November 2021. Data were reviewed and abstracted by two independent reviewers. We then used ordinal logistic regression analysis to find potential predictors of severe wasp and bee sting-related envenomation. RESULTS In Taiwan, bee or wasp stings mainly occur in late summer and autumn. A total of 611 patients were reported to the Taiwan National Poison Control Center with 7.5% resulting in severe or fatal envenomation. Four-hundred and forty-one patients were eligible for the final analysis of the predictors of severity. Logistic regression analysis showed that a greater number of stings, being stung by wasps, older age, and stings over the body were significant predictors for greater severity. The systemic effects following wasp and bee sting included anaphylactic reaction, prolongation of activated partial thromboplastin time, rhabdomyolysis, acute kidney injury, and elevated liver enzymes. CONCLUSIONS Wasps generally inflicted more severe envenomation than bees. Only 7.5% of patients had severe or fatal outcomes. Patients with older age, multiple stings, and/or multiple sites of stings were more likely to have severe outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thi Ngat Nguyen
- Institute of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Tropical Diseases, Cho Ray Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Mei-Jy Jeng
- Institute of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Pediatrics, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Nai-Yu Chen
- Taiwan National Poison Control Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chen-Chang Yang
- Taiwan National Poison Control Center, Taipei, Taiwan.,Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, College of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Department of Occupational Medicine and Clinical Toxicology, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
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Ali A, Paramanya A, Poojari P, Arslan-Acaroz D, Acaroz U, Kostić AŽ. The Utilization of Bee Products as a Holistic Approach to Managing Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome-Related Infertility. Nutrients 2023; 15:nu15051165. [PMID: 36904163 PMCID: PMC10005493 DOI: 10.3390/nu15051165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Bee products, including honey, have been utilized since ancient times for nutritional and therapeutic purposes. Recently, other bee products such as bee pollen, royal jelly, and propolis have caught a lot of attention. Being high in antioxidants and bioactive compounds, these products have established their applications in the pharmaceutical field as supplementary or alternative medicines. This review focuses on their use against polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)-related infertility. A systematic search of electronic databases including PubMed, Web of Science ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar was conducted from their inceptions up to November 2022. Studies with a small sample size, studies with inconclusive data, and pre-prints have been excluded. A narrative synthesis was performed during draft preparation after the authors independently performed a literature search. A total of 47 studies were finalized for the review. It can be observed that in vivo data on the use of bee products in treating PCOS mostly deals with their use in synergism with the PCOS medicines to enhance their effect and/or curb their side effects; however, clinical trials for the same are limited. With the amount of data being limited, it is difficult to map out the mechanism by which these products act in managing PCOS inside the human body. The review gives detailed insights into the reversal and restorative properties of bee products against the aberrations in reproductive health caused by PCOS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad Ali
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Mumbai, Vidyanagari, Mumbai 400098, India
- Correspondence: (A.A.); (A.Ž.K.)
| | - Additiya Paramanya
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Mumbai, Vidyanagari, Mumbai 400098, India
| | - Payal Poojari
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Mumbai, Vidyanagari, Mumbai 400098, India
| | - Damla Arslan-Acaroz
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Afyon Kocatepe University, 03200 Afyonkarahisar, Turkey
- ACR Bio Food and Biochemistry Research and Development, 03200 Afyonkarahisar, Turkey
| | - Ulas Acaroz
- ACR Bio Food and Biochemistry Research and Development, 03200 Afyonkarahisar, Turkey
- Department of Food Hygiene and Technology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Afyon Kocatepe University, 03200 Afyonkarahisar, Turkey
- Department of Food Hygiene and Technology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University, Bishkek KG-720038, Kyrgyzstan
| | - Aleksandar Ž. Kostić
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade, Nemanjina 6, 11080 Belgrade, Serbia
- Correspondence: (A.A.); (A.Ž.K.)
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Abdel-Monsef MM, Darwish DA, Zidan HA, Hamed AA, Ibrahim MA. Characterization, antimicrobial and antitumor activity of superoxide dismutase extracted from Egyptian honeybee venom (Apis mellifera lamarckii). J Genet Eng Biotechnol 2023; 21:21. [PMID: 36807019 PMCID: PMC9941395 DOI: 10.1186/s43141-023-00470-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Superoxide dismutase is an important antioxidative stress enzyme which is found in honeybee venom and has a wide pharmaceutical and medical applications. RESULTS We reported the purification and characterization of venom SOD from Egyptian honeybee Apis mellifera lamarckii and termed BVSOD. It was purified to homogeneity from the Egyptian honeybee venom. The purification procedures included crude extraction, DEAE-cellulose anion exchange column chromatography, and Sephacryl S-300 gel filtration column chromatography. The purified BVSOD is found to be homogeneous as investigated by native PAGE. It exhibited homodimeric structure with a molecular weight of native form of 32 kDa and subunits of 16.0 kDa. It displayed the maximum activity at pH 7.4. CuCl2, ZnCl2, and MgCl2 and elevated the activity of BVSOD, while CoCl2, FeCl2, and NiCl2 inhibited BVSOD activity. Potassium cyanide and hydrogen peroxide were most potent inhibitors for BVSOD activity suggesting that it is a Cu/Zn-SOD type. CONCLUSIONS The purified BVSOD is found to have antimicrobial and antitumor activities which can be used for various medical and clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed M. Abdel-Monsef
- grid.419725.c0000 0001 2151 8157Molecular Biology Department National Research Centre, Protium Research Laboratory, Dokki, Giza, Egypt
| | - Doaa A. Darwish
- grid.419725.c0000 0001 2151 8157Molecular Biology Department National Research Centre, Protium Research Laboratory, Dokki, Giza, Egypt
| | - Hind A. Zidan
- grid.418376.f0000 0004 1800 7673Agricultural Research Center, Plant Protection Research Institute, Giza, Egypt
| | - Ahmed A. Hamed
- grid.419725.c0000 0001 2151 8157Microbial Chemistry Department, National Research Centre, Dokki, Giza, Egypt
| | - Mahmoud A. Ibrahim
- grid.419725.c0000 0001 2151 8157Molecular Biology Department National Research Centre, Protium Research Laboratory, Dokki, Giza, Egypt
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The transmittable through stinging microbiota differs between honeybees and wasps: a potentially greater microbial risk of the wasp sting for humans. Int Microbiol 2023:10.1007/s10123-023-00332-6. [PMID: 36752864 PMCID: PMC10397125 DOI: 10.1007/s10123-023-00332-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
The present research investigated whether accidental contact through stinging with honeybees, wasps, and hornets could represent a microbial hazard for humans. It has been previously suggested that such contact may transmit pathogens causing infections that could even be fatal for some susceptible individuals. Stinging simulation experiments were performed in the lab with live insects collected from the environment in Lemnos Island (north-eastern Greece), while different selective agar media targeting some clinically important bacteria (i.e., Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Enterococcus faecalis/faecium, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) were used as substrates for microbial recovery and identification. Results revealed none of the target pathogenic bacterial species in the honeybee samples, with bacilli, staphylococci, and micrococci dominating their surveyed microbiota. However, most of the suspect colonies isolated from wasps and hornets belonged to important hygienic indicators (i.e., enterococci, Proteus mirabilis, and coliforms), implying possible contact of these insects with fecal origin materials. To sum up, the microbiota that may be transmitted to humans through stinging appears to differ between honeybees and wasps/hornets, while the isolation from the latter samples of some other important opportunistic pathogens, such as Enterobacter spp. and Klebsiella spp., also known for multidrug resistance, could be an additional reason of concern.
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56
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Therapeutic Use of Bee Venom and Potential Applications in Veterinary Medicine. Vet Sci 2023; 10:vetsci10020119. [PMID: 36851423 PMCID: PMC9965945 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci10020119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Apitherapy is a branch of alternative medicine that consists of the treatment of diseases through products collected, processed, and secreted by bees, specifically pollen, propolis, honey, royal jelly, and bee venom. In traditional medicine, the virtues of honey and propolis have been well-known for centuries. The same, however, cannot be said for venom. The use of bee venom is particularly relevant for many therapeutic aspects. In recent decades, scientific studies have confirmed and enabled us to understand its properties. Bee venom has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, central nervous system inhibiting, radioprotective, antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties, among others. Numerous studies have often been summarised in reviews of the scientific literature that have focused on the results obtained with mouse models and their subsequent transposition to the human patient. In contrast, few reviews of scientific work on the use of bee venom in veterinary medicine exist. This review aims to take stock of the research achievements in this particular discipline, with a view to a recapitulation and stabilisation in the different research fields.
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Yesiloglu O, Sonmez A, Avci BS, Sumbul HE, Avci A. Transient ischemic liver injury and respiratory failure in a COVID-19-positive patient after multiple bee stings. Turk J Emerg Med 2023; 23:57-60. [PMID: 36818943 PMCID: PMC9930383 DOI: 10.4103/2452-2473.366488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
We present a patient with multiple bee stings who developed lung and liver injuries and subsequently tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). A 65-year-old male patient presented to the emergency department after being stung by more than 100 honeybees. His physical examination revealed pustular lesions distributed across his chest, arms, back, legs, and head, marking the sting zones. While the patient had no history of liver disease, initial laboratory test results showed elevated liver enzyme levels. A chest computer tomography scan was ordered, revealing bilateral ground-glass opacities suggesting COVID-19. His condition worsened over the course of the following day, and when he was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU), his SpO2 decreased to 83% despite oxygen support with a mask. The second polymerase chain reaction test taken in the ICU was positive for COVID-19 infection. After stung with multiple bees, the patient developed acute liver injury and suffered from concomitant COVID-19-related respiratory insufficency, and he was treated accordingly. Starting on the 5th day, the patient's liver markers began to improve, and on the 13th day, he was discharged with normal vital signs and liver enzyme values. There seem to be varying outcomes across different studies with regard to the relationship between bee stings and COVID-19. Further research is needed to explore the possibility of this complementary treatment with bee venom in the prevention of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Onder Yesiloglu
- Emergency Medicine Clinic, Gaziantep 25 Aralik State Hospital, Adana, Turkey
| | - Ahmet Sonmez
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Health Science University, Adana City Research and Training Hospital, Adana, Turkey
| | - Begum Seyda Avci
- Department of Internal Medicine, Health Science University, Adana City Research and Training Hospital, Adana, Turkey
| | - Hilmi Erdem Sumbul
- Department of Internal Medicine, Health Science University, Adana City Research and Training Hospital, Adana, Turkey
| | - Akkan Avci
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Health Science University, Adana City Research and Training Hospital, Adana, Turkey,Address for correspondence: Dr. Akkan Avci, Department of Emergency Medicine, Adana City Research and Training Hospital, Health Science University, Adana, Turkey. E-mail:
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Ullah A, Aldakheel FM, Anjum SI, Raza G, Khan SA, Tlak Gajger I. Pharmacological properties and therapeutic potential of honey bee venom. Saudi Pharm J 2023; 31:96-109. [PMID: 36685303 PMCID: PMC9845117 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsps.2022.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Honey bee venom (BV) is a valuable product, and has a wide range of biological effects, and its use is rapidly increasing in apitherapy. Therefore, the current study, we reviewed the existing knowledge about BV composition and its numerous pharmacological properties for future research and use. Honey bee venom or apitoxin is produced in the venom gland in the honey bee abdomen. Adult bees use it as a primary colony defense mechanism. It is composed of many biologically active substances including peptides, enzymes, amines, amino acids, phospholipids, minerals, carbohydrates as well as some volatile components. Melittin and phospholipase A2 are the most important components of BV, having anti-cancer, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritis, anti-nociceptive and other curative potentials. Therefore, in medicine, BV has been used for centuries against different diseases like arthritis, rheumatism, back pain, and various inflammatory infections. Nowadays, BV or its components separately, are used for the treatment of various diseases in different countries as a natural medicine with limited side effects. Consequently, scientists as well as several pharmaceutical companies are trying to get a new understanding about BV, its substances and its activity for more effective use of this natural remedy in modern medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amjad Ullah
- Department of Zoology, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat 26000, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Fahad Mohammed Aldakheel
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11433, Saudi Arabia,Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz Research Chair for Epidemiology and Public Health, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh 11461, Saudi Arabia
| | - Syed Ishtiaq Anjum
- Department of Zoology, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat 26000, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan,Corresponding author.
| | - Ghulam Raza
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Baltistan, Skardu, Pakistan
| | - Saeed Ahmad Khan
- Department of Pharmacy, Institute of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Ivana Tlak Gajger
- Department for Biology and Pathology of Fish and Bees, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
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Bee Venom Triggers Autophagy-Induced Apoptosis in Human Lung Cancer Cells via the mTOR Signaling Pathway. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2022; 2022:8916464. [PMID: 36590307 PMCID: PMC9803572 DOI: 10.1155/2022/8916464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Revised: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
In oriental medicine, bee venom has long been used as a therapeutic agent against inflammatory diseases. Several studies have reported that isolated and purified bee venom components are effective in treating dementia, arthritis, inflammation, bacterial infections, and cancer. In previous studies, we reported that bee venom inhibits cell growth and induces apoptotic cell death in lung cancer cells. In the present study, we assessed whether bee venom affects autophagy and thereby induces apoptosis. Bee venom treatment increased the levels of autophagy-related proteins (Atg5, Beclin-1, and LC3-II) and the accumulation of LC3 puncta. We found that bee venom could induce autophagy by inhibiting the mTOR signaling pathway. In addition, we found that hydroxychloroquine (HCQ)- or si-ATG5-induced autophagy inhibition further demoted bee venom-induced apoptosis. Bee venom-induced autophagy promotes apoptosis in lung cancer cells and may become a new approach to cancer treatment.
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Erkoc P, von Reumont BM, Lüddecke T, Henke M, Ulshöfer T, Vilcinskas A, Fürst R, Schiffmann S. The Pharmacological Potential of Novel Melittin Variants from the Honeybee and Solitary Bees against Inflammation and Cancer. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14120818. [PMID: 36548715 PMCID: PMC9786170 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14120818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The venom of honeybees is composed of numerous peptides and proteins and has been used for decades as an anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer agent in traditional medicine. However, the bioactivity of specific biomolecular components has been evaluated for the predominant constituent, melittin. So far, only a few melittin-like peptides from solitary bee species have been investigated, and the molecular mechanisms of bee venoms as therapeutic agents remain largely unknown. Here, the preclinical pharmacological activities of known and proteo-transcriptomically discovered new melittin variants from the honeybee and more ancestral variants from phylogenetically older solitary bees were explored in the context of cancer and inflammation. We studied the effects of melittin peptides on cytotoxicity, second messenger release, and inflammatory markers using primary human cells, non-cancer, and cancerous cell lines. Melittin and some of its variants showed cytotoxic effects, induced Ca2+ signaling and inhibited cAMP production, and prevented LPS-induced NO synthesis but did not affect the IP3 signaling and pro-inflammatory activation of endothelial cells. Compared to the originally-described melittin, some phylogenetically more ancestral variants from solitary bees offer potential therapeutic modalities in modulating the in vitro inflammatory processes, and hindering cancer cell viability/proliferation, including aggressive breast cancers, and are worth further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pelin Erkoc
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Goethe University Frankfurt, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Correspondence: (P.E.); (B.M.v.R.)
| | - Björn Marcus von Reumont
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Applied Bioinformatics Group, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Str. 13, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
- Correspondence: (P.E.); (B.M.v.R.)
| | - Tim Lüddecke
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME-BR), 235394 Giessen, Germany
| | - Marina Henke
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology (ITMP), 60596 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Thomas Ulshöfer
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology (ITMP), 60596 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Andreas Vilcinskas
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Department of Bioresources, Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology (IME-BR), 235394 Giessen, Germany
| | - Robert Fürst
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Chemistry and Pharmacy, Goethe University Frankfurt, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Susanne Schiffmann
- LOEWE Center for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE-TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology (ITMP), 60596 Frankfurt, Germany
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Kumari J, Sah RK, Mohaideen. S NM, Ahmad S, Pati S, Singh S. Studying the Rationale of Fire Ant Sting Therapy Usage by the Tribal Natives of Bastar Revealed Ant Venom-Derived Peptides with Promising Anti-Malarial Activity. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14110789. [PMID: 36422964 PMCID: PMC9697016 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14110789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Prevailing drug resistance in malaria imposes the major roadblock for the existing interventions necessitating the timely need to search for alternative therapies. Ants in Solenopsis spp, termed 'Fire ants', are well known for their aggressive behavior, which leads to the release of toxic venom. Notably, the tribal natives of the malaria-laden densely forested Bastar region, Chhattisgarh, India, use fire ant sting-based therapy to cure malaria-like high fever. Inspired by this, we have collected the fire ants from the forest of Bastar and extracted peptide and alkaloid fractions from ant venom using HPLC and analyzed them by LC/MS-based applications. Evaluation of the anti-malarial efficacy of these peptide fractions demonstrated a significant reduction in the growth of Plasmodium falciparum (Pf 3D7) in vitro, whereas the alkaloid fraction showed a negligible effect. in vitro hemolytic activity confirmed the venom peptide fraction to be non-hemolytic. Additionally, the venom peptide fraction is purely non-toxic to HepG2 cells. Anti-malarial efficiency of the same in Plasmodium berghei ANKA infected mice models showed a drastic reduction in parasitemia representing promising anti-malarial activity. Overall, our study has unraveled the scientific rationale underlying fire ant sting therapy used as a tribal naturotherapy for curing malaria-like fever, thus, introducing a way forward to develop nature-inspired anti-malarial chemotherapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jyoti Kumari
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, Shiv Nadar Institute of Eminence, Delhi 201314, India
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Raj Kumar Sah
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
| | | | - Shakeel Ahmad
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
- Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kasprzaka 44/52, 01-224 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Soumya Pati
- Department of Life Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, Shiv Nadar Institute of Eminence, Delhi 201314, India
| | - Shailja Singh
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
- Correspondence:
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El-Seedi HR, El-Wahed AAA, Zhao C, Saeed A, Zou X, Guo Z, Hegazi AG, Shehata AA, El-Seedi HHR, Algethami AF, Al Naggar Y, Agamy NF, Rateb ME, Ramadan MFA, Khalifa SAM, Wang K. A Spotlight on the Egyptian Honeybee ( Apis mellifera lamarckii). Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12202749. [PMID: 36290135 PMCID: PMC9597722 DOI: 10.3390/ani12202749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The Egyptian honeybee (Apis mellifera lamarckii) is one of the honeybee subspecies known for centuries since the ancient Egypt civilization. The subspecies of the Egyptian honeybee is distinguished by certain traits of appearance and behavior that were well-adapted to the environment and unique in a way that it is resistant to bee diseases, such as the Varroa disease. The subspecies is different than those found in Europe and is native to southern Egypt. Therefore, a special care should be paid to the vulnerable A. m. lamarckii subspecies and greater knowledge about the risk factors as well as conservation techniques will protect these bees. Additionally, more qualitative and quantitative measures will be taken to obtain deep insights into the A. m. lamarckii products’ chemical profile and biological characters. Abstract Egypt has an ongoing long history with beekeeping, which started with the ancient Egyptians making various reliefs and inscriptions of beekeeping on their tombs and temples. The Egyptian honeybee (Apis mellifera lamarckii) is an authentic Egyptian honeybee subspecies utilized in apiculture. A. m. lamarckii is a distinct honeybee subspecies that has a particular body color, size, and high levels of hygienic behavior. Additionally, it has distinctive characteristics; including the presence of the half-queens, an excessive number of swarm cells, high adaptability to climatic conditions, good resistance to specific bee diseases, including the Varro disorder, and continuous breeding during the whole year despite low productivity, using very little propolis, and tending to abscond readily. This review discusses the history of beekeeping in Egypt and its current situation in addition to its morphology, genetic analysis, and distinctive characters, and the defensive behaviors of native A. m. lamarckii subspecies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hesham R. El-Seedi
- International Research Center for Food Nutrition and Safety, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
- Pharmacognosy Group, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Biomedical Centre, Uppsala University, P.O. Box 591, SE-751 24 Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Koom 32512, Egypt
- International Joint Research Laboratory of Intelligent Agriculture and Agri-Products Processing, Jiangsu Education Department, Nanjing 210024, China
- Correspondence: (H.R.E.-S.); (S.A.M.K.); Tel.: +46-700-43-43-43 (H.R.E.-S.)
| | - Aida A. Abd El-Wahed
- Department of Bee Research, Plant Protection Research Institute, Agricultural Research Centre, Giza 12627, Egypt
| | - Chao Zhao
- College of Marine Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
| | - Aamer Saeed
- Department of Chemistry, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan
| | - Xiaobo Zou
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Zhiming Guo
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
| | - Ahmed G. Hegazi
- Zoonotic Diseases Department, National Research Centre, Giza 12622, Egypt
| | - Awad A. Shehata
- Avian and Rabbit Diseases Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Menoufia 22857, Egypt
- PerNaturam GmbH, An der Trift 8, 56290 Gödenroth, Germany
- Prophy-Institute for Applied Prophylaxis, 59159 Bönen, Germany
| | | | - Ahmed F. Algethami
- Alnahal Aljwal Foundation Saudi Arabia, P.O. Box 617, Makkah 24211, Saudi Arabia
| | - Yahya Al Naggar
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Egypt
| | - Neveen F. Agamy
- Nutrition Department, Food Analysis Division, High Institute of Public Health, Alexandria University, Alexandria 21561, Egypt
| | - Mostafa E. Rateb
- School of Computing, Engineering and Physical Sciences, University of the West of Scotland, Paisley PA1 2BE, UK
| | - Mohamed F. A. Ramadan
- Central Agriculture Pesticides Laboratory, Pesticide Analysis Research Department, Agriculture Research Center, Giza 24221, Egypt
| | - Shaden A. M. Khalifa
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
- Correspondence: (H.R.E.-S.); (S.A.M.K.); Tel.: +46-700-43-43-43 (H.R.E.-S.)
| | - Kai Wang
- Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
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AL-Shaeli SJJ, Hussen TJ, Ethaeb AM. Effect of honey bee venom on the histological changes of testes and hormonal disturbance in diabetic mice. Vet World 2022; 15:2357-2364. [PMID: 36341058 PMCID: PMC9631373 DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2022.2357-2364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Aim: Hyperglycemia associated with hyper- or hypo-insulinemia is a hallmark of type 2 diabetes mellitus, which is firmly linked to decreased male infertility. Recently, bee venom (BV) has shown potential health prosperities, including antidiabetic; however, no study focuses on the effect of BV on male fertility in diabetic conditions. This study aimed to detect the effect of BV on histological and hormonal alteration of the testis in diabetic mice. Materials and Methods: Twenty adult male mice were selected and assigned to four groups: Control, diabetic (150 mg/kg alloxan), BV1 (diabetic + 0.5 mg/kg BV), and BV2 (diabetic + 1 mg/kg BV). After 35 days, the serum levels of glucose, insulin, testosterone, follicular-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and prolactin were estimated. The histological structure of the testes was also evaluated. Results: Alloxan-induced hyperglycemia and decreased insulin concentrations were reversed significantly by BV. Furthermore, diabetic mice exhibited various alterations in fertility hormones, while these disturbances were improved considerably to normal concentrations by BV. Similarly, alloxan-induced changes in sperm and testis histological parameters such as motility, viability, abnormality, sperm count, the number and diameter of seminiferous tubules, and the number of Leydig and Sertoli cells were significantly ameliorated to the normal condition by BV. Changes in the number, size, and shape of seminiferous tubules, the number of Leydig and Sertoli cells, and initial degeneration and vacuolization in interstitial cells and spermatogonia and spermatocyte were seen in diabetic mice. All these changes were shifted almost to normal structure by BV. Conclusion: The BV could be used as an alternative therapeutic agent that manages the markers related to diabetic conditions concomitant with the improved histological structure of the testes and hormone production to accelerate male fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sattar J. J. AL-Shaeli
- Department of Medical Basic Sciences, College of Dentistry, Wasit University, Wasit, Iraq
| | - Talal Jabal Hussen
- Department of Medical Basic Sciences, College of Dentistry, Wasit University, Wasit, Iraq
| | - Ali M. Ethaeb
- Department of Anatomy and Histology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Wasit University, Wasit, Iraq
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Yousefpoor Y, Osanloo M, Mirzaei-Parsa MJ, Najafabadi MRH, Hashemi SM, Abbasifard M. Subcutaneous Injection of Bee Venom in Wistar Rats: effects on blood cells and biochemical parameters. J Pharmacopuncture 2022; 25:250-257. [PMID: 36186094 PMCID: PMC9510133 DOI: 10.3831/kpi.2022.25.3.250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2022] [Revised: 06/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives Bee venom (BV) therapy is performed by a bee sting or subcutaneous injection of BV. However, there is not much information on the effect of BV on blood parameters after entering the body. This project aimed to assess the side effects of subcutaneous BV injections in healthy rats by measuring the hematological and biochemical parameters. Methods Various amounts of BV, including 100, 200, and 500 (µg/day), were subcutaneously injected into rats for 30 days. The results showed that BV affected the metabolism of the liver, kidney, and glands. Results An increase in blood sugar and a decrease in other biochemical parameters, including cholesterol, triglyceride, urea, creatinine AST, ALT, ALP, and phosphorous, were observed. Results also showed increased counts of white blood cells, neutrophils (%), and platelets and decreased levels of red cells, hemoglobin, and hematocrit. Conclusion This study demonstrates that BV therapy in medical clinics requires routine care and testing to prevent eventual metabolic and anemia side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaser Yousefpoor
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Paramedical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh University of Medical Sciences, Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran.,Khalil Abad Health Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Mahmoud Osanloo
- Department of Medical Nanotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | - Mohamad Javad Mirzaei-Parsa
- Department of Medical Nanotechnology, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Hoseini Najafabadi
- Department of Medical Nanotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Mitra Abbasifard
- Immunology of Infectious Diseases Research Center, Research Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran.,Department of Internal Medicine, Ali-Ibn Abi-Talib Hospital, School of Medicine, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
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65
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Shi P, Xie S, Yang J, Zhang Y, Han S, Su S, Yao H. Pharmacological effects and mechanisms of bee venom and its main components: Recent progress and perspective. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:1001553. [PMID: 36238572 PMCID: PMC9553197 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1001553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Bee venom (BV), a type of defensive venom, has been confirmed to have favorable activities, such as anti-tumor, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-infectivity effects, etc. This study reviewed the recent progress on the pharmacological effects and mechanisms of BV and its main components against cancer, neurological disorders, inflammatory diseases, pain, microbial diseases, liver, kidney, lung and muscle injury, and other diseases in literature during the years 2018–2021. The related target proteins of BV and its main components against the diseases include Akt, mTOR, JNK, Wnt-5α, HIF-1α, NF-κB, JAK2, Nrf2, BDNF, Smad2/3, AMPK, and so on, which are referring to PI3K/Akt/mTOR, MAPK, Wnt/β-catenin, HIF-1α, NF-κB, JAK/STAT, Nrf2/HO-1, TrkB/CREB/BDNF, TGF-β/Smad2/3, and AMPK signaling pathways, etc. Further, with the reported targets, the potential effects and mechanisms on diseases were bioinformatically predicted via Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway, disease ontology semantic and enrichment (DOSE) and protein-protein interaction (PPI) analyses. This review provides new insights into the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of BV and its main components on diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiying Shi
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine Resource and Bee Products, College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- State and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Natural Biotoxins, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Peiying Shi, ; Hong Yao,
| | - Shihui Xie
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine Resource and Bee Products, College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Jiali Yang
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine Resource and Bee Products, College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine Resource and Bee Products, College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Shuo Han
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine Resource and Bee Products, College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Songkun Su
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine Resource and Bee Products, College of Animal Sciences (College of Bee Science), Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Hong Yao
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Peiying Shi, ; Hong Yao,
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Saghi H, Mirzavi F, Afshari AR, Jalili-Nik M, Mashkani B, Soukhtanloo M. Bee venom induces anti-tumor effects in HT-29 colon cancer cells through regulation of cell proliferation and apoptosis. Biologia (Bratisl) 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11756-022-01201-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Israel LL, Galstyan A, Cox A, Shatalova ES, Sun T, Rashid MH, Grodzinski Z, Chiechi A, Fuchs DT, Patil R, Koronyo-Hamaoui M, Black KL, Ljubimova JY, Holler E. Signature Effects of Vector-Guided Systemic Nano Bioconjugate Delivery Across Blood-Brain Barrier of Normal, Alzheimer's, and Tumor Mouse Models. ACS NANO 2022; 16:11815-11832. [PMID: 35961653 PMCID: PMC9413444 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.1c10034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The ability to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is critical for targeted therapy of the central nerve system (CNS). Six peptide vectors were covalently attached to a 50 kDa poly(β-l-malic acid)-trileucine polymer forming P/LLL(40%)/vector conjugates. The vectors were Angiopep-2 (AP2), B6, Miniap-4 (M4), and d-configurated peptides D1, D3, and ACI-89, with specificity for transcytosis receptors low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-1 (LRP-1), transferrin receptor (TfR), bee venom-derived ion channel, and Aβ/LRP-1 related transcytosis complex, respectively. The BBB-permeation efficacies were substantially increased ("boosted") in vector conjugates of P/LLL(40%). We have found that the copolymer group binds at the endothelial membrane and, by an allosterically membrane rearrangement, exposes the sites for vector-receptor complex formation. The specificity of vectors is indicated by competition experiments with nonconjugated vectors. P/LLL(40%) does not function as an inhibitor, suggesting that the copolymer binding site is eliminated after binding of the vector-nanoconjugate. The two-step mechanism, binding to endothelial membrane and allosteric exposure of transcytosis receptors, is supposed to be an integral feature of nanoconjugate-transcytosis pathways. In vivo brain delivery signatures of the nanoconjugates were recapitulated in mouse brains of normal, tumor (glioblastoma), and Alzheimer's disease (AD) models. BBB permeation of the tumor was most efficient, followed by normal and then AD-like brain. In tumor-bearing and normal brains, AP2 was the top performing vector; however, in AD models, D3 and D1 peptides were superior ones. The TfR vector B6 was equally efficient in normal and AD-model brains. Cross-permeation efficacies are manifested through modulated vector coligation and dosage escalation such as supra-linear dose dependence and crossover transcytosis activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liron L. Israel
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California 90048, United States
| | - Anna Galstyan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California 90048, United States
| | - Alysia Cox
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California 90048, United States
| | - Ekaterina S. Shatalova
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California 90048, United States
| | - Tao Sun
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California 90048, United States
| | - Mohammad-Harun Rashid
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California 90048, United States
| | - Zachary Grodzinski
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California 90048, United States
| | - Antonella Chiechi
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California 90048, United States
| | - Dieu-Trang Fuchs
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California 90048, United States
| | - Rameshwar Patil
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California 90048, United States
| | - Maya Koronyo-Hamaoui
- Department of Neurosurgery and Department of Biomedical Sciences,
Division of Applied Cell Biology and Physiology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los
Angeles, California 90048, United States
| | - Keith L. Black
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, California 90048, United States
| | - Julia Y. Ljubimova
- Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation
(TIBI), 1018 Westwood
Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90024, United States
| | - Eggehard Holler
- Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation
(TIBI), 1018 Westwood
Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90024, United States
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Jung H, Kim YS, Jung DM, Lee KS, Lee JM, Kim KK. Melittin-derived peptides exhibit variations in cytotoxicity and antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and allergenic activities. Anim Cells Syst (Seoul) 2022; 26:158-165. [PMID: 36046032 PMCID: PMC9423820 DOI: 10.1080/19768354.2022.2099971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Melittin is a major component of bee venom; it is widely used in traditional medicine because of its therapeutic effects, such as anti-inflammatory effects. However, melittin has limited medical applications owing to its adverse effects, such as high cytotoxicity. In this study, we investigated the physiological activities of various hydrolyzed melittin-derived peptides to eliminate the cytotoxicity of melittin and enhance its efficacy. The 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging assay confirmed that melittin-derived peptides showed antioxidant activity comparable to that of melittin. Moreover, unlike melittin, which showed high cytotoxicity in the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)−5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)−2-(4-sulfophenyl)−2H-tetrazolium inner salt (MTS) assay, the melittin-derived peptides showed negligible cytotoxicity. Among the melittin-derived peptides, the peptide composed of sequence TTGLPALISWIKRKRQQ (P1) showed inhibitory effects on the mRNA expression of inflammatory cytokines and phosphorylation of IκBα, similar to the effects of melittin in RAW 264.7 cells. Degranulation of RBL-2H3 cells was analyzed using a β-hexosaminidase release assay to confirm the allergenic activity of melittin and P1, which showed remarkably reduced allergenicity of P1 compared to that of melittin. These results indicate that P1 maintained the anti-inflammatory effects of melittin while reducing its cytotoxicity and allergic reactions. In conclusion, the melittin-derived peptide P1 efficiently decreased the adverse effects while maintaining the beneficial effects of melittin, making it suitable for therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haesoo Jung
- Department of Biochemistry, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong Soo Kim
- Dong Seo Medical Research Institute, Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Da-Min Jung
- Department of Biochemistry, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyeong-Seob Lee
- Dong Seo Medical Research Institute, Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Jung-Min Lee
- Department of Biochemistry, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Kee K. Kim
- Department of Biochemistry, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
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69
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Yu C, Li Y, Chen G, Wu C, Wang X, Zhang Y. Bioactive constituents of animal-derived traditional Chinese medicinal materials for breast cancer: opportunities and challenges. J Zhejiang Univ Sci B 2022; 23:547-563. [PMID: 35794685 PMCID: PMC9264107 DOI: 10.1631/jzus.b2101019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Breast cancer is globally the most common invasive cancer in women and remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths. Surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and endocrine therapy are currently the main treatments for this cancer type. However, some breast cancer patients are prone to drug resistance related to chemotherapy or immunotherapy, resulting in limited treatment efficacy. Consequently, traditional Chinese medicinal materials (TCMMs) as natural products have become an attractive source of novel drugs. In this review, we summarized the current knowledge on the active components of animal-derived TCMMs, including Ophiocordycepssinensis-derived cordycepin, the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of O.sinensis, norcantharidin (NCTD), Chansu, bee venom, deer antlers, Ostreagigas, and scorpion venom, with reference to marked anti-breast cancer effects due to regulating cell cycle arrest, proliferation, apoptosis, metastasis, and drug resistance. In future studies, the underlying mechanisms for the antitumor effects of these components need to be further investigated by utilizing multi-omics technologies. Furthermore, large-scale clinical trials are necessary to validate the efficacy of bioactive constituents alone or in combination with chemotherapeutic drugs for breast cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaochao Yu
- Department of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Yi Li
- Department of Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Guopeng Chen
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Chaoyan Wu
- Department of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Xiuping Wang
- Department of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Yingwen Zhang
- Department of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China.
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Kwon NY, Sung SH, Sung HK, Park JK. Anticancer Activity of Bee Venom Components against Breast Cancer. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14070460. [PMID: 35878198 PMCID: PMC9318616 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14070460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
While the survival rate has increased due to treatments for breast cancer, the quality of life has decreased because of the side effects of chemotherapy. Various toxins are being developed as alternative breast cancer treatments, and bee venom is drawing attention as one of them. We analyzed the effect of bee venom and its components on breast cancer cells and reviewed the mechanism underlying the anticancer effects of bee venom. Data up to March 2022 were searched from PubMed, EMBASE, OASIS, KISS, and Science Direct online databases, and studies that met the inclusion criteria were reviewed. Among 612 studies, 11 were selected for this research. Diverse drugs were administered, including crude bee venom, melittin, phospholipase A2, and their complexes. All drugs reduced the number of breast cancer cells in proportion to the dose and time. The mechanisms of anticancer effects included cytotoxicity, apoptosis, cell targeting, gene expression regulation, and cell lysis. Summarily, bee venom and its components exert anticancer effects on human breast cancer cells. Depending on the mechanisms of anticancer effects, side effects are expected to be reduced by using various vehicles. Bee venom and its components have the potential to prevent and treat breast cancer in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Na-Yoen Kwon
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Korean Medicine, Ga-Chon University, Seongnam-si 13120, Korea;
| | - Soo-Hyun Sung
- Department of Policy Development, National Institute of Korean Medicine Development, Seoul 04554, Korea;
| | - Hyun-Kyung Sung
- Department of Korean Medicine Pediatrics, School of Korean Medicine, Semyung University, Jecheon 27136, Korea
- Correspondence: (H.-K.S.); (J.-K.P.); Tel.: +82-43-841-1739 (H.-K.S.); +82-55-360-5978 (J.-K.P.)
| | - Jang-Kyung Park
- Department of Korean Medicine Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Korean Medicine, Pusan National University, Yangsan 50612, Korea
- Correspondence: (H.-K.S.); (J.-K.P.); Tel.: +82-43-841-1739 (H.-K.S.); +82-55-360-5978 (J.-K.P.)
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Abdelsattar AS, Makky S, Nofal R, Hebishy M, Agwa MM, Aly RG, Abo El-Naga MY, Heikal YA, Fayez MS, Rezk N, El-Shibiny A. Enhancement of wound healing via topical application of natural products: In vitro and in vivo evaluations. ARAB J CHEM 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.arabjc.2022.103869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
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von Reumont BM, Dutertre S, Koludarov I. Venom profile of the European carpenter bee Xylocopa violacea: Evolutionary and applied considerations on its toxin components. Toxicon X 2022; 14:100117. [PMID: 35309263 PMCID: PMC8927852 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxcx.2022.100117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Modern venomics is increasing its focus on hymenopterans such as honeybees, bumblebees, parasitoid wasps, ants and true wasps. However solitary bees remain understudied in comparison and the few available venom studies focus on short melittin-like sequences and antimicrobial peptides. Herein we describe the first comprehensive venom profile of a solitary bee, the violet carpenter bee Xylocopa violacea, by using proteo-transcriptomics. We reveal a diverse and complex venom profile with 43 different protein families identified from dissected venom gland extracts of which 32 are also detected in the defensively injected venom. Melittin and apamin are the most highly secreted components, followed by Phospholipase A2, Icarapin, Secapin and three novel components. Other components, including eight novel protein families, are rather lowly expressed. We further identify multiple forms of apamin-like peptides. The melittin-like sequences of solitary bees separate into two clades, one comprised most sequences from solitary bees including xylopin (the variant in Xylocopa), while sequences from Lasioglossa appear closer related to melittin-like peptides from Bombus (Bombolittins). Our study suggests that more proteo-transcriptomic data from other solitary bees should be complemented with corresponding genome data to fully understand the evolution and complexity of bee venom proteins, and is of a particular need to disentangle the ambiguous phylogenetic relations of short peptides. Venoms of solitary bees are so far surprisingly little studied. We analyse here the venom profile from the solitary carpenter bee X. violacea. The venom of X. violacea is similar complex as in honey bees. Besides new melittin variants eight novel venom components are identified. Our results contribute to understand better the evoluiton of bee venoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Björn M. von Reumont
- Goethe University Frankfurt, Institute for Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Department for Applied Bioinformatics, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 58, 35392, Giessen, Germany
- LOEWE Centre for Translational Biodiversity Genomics (LOEWE TBG), Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt, Germany
- Corresponding author. Goethe University Frankfurt, Institute for Cell Biology and Neuroscience, Department for Applied Bioinformatics, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
| | | | - Ivan Koludarov
- Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 58, 35392, Giessen, Germany
- Corresponding author
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Bee Products as Interesting Natural Agents for the Prevention and Treatment of Common Cardiovascular Diseases. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14112267. [PMID: 35684067 PMCID: PMC9182958 DOI: 10.3390/nu14112267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Apitherapy is a form of alternative therapy that relies on the use of bee products, i.e., honey, royal jelly, propolis, pollen, and bee venom (known as apitoxin), for the prevention and treatment of various diseases. Various in vitro and in vivo studies suggest that these products may be effective in the prophylaxis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). This mini-review of papers identified in various electronic databases describes new aspects of the bioactivity of certain bee products, viz. bee pollen, royal jelly, bee venom, propolis, and bee bread, as natural interesting products for the prevention and treatment of common CVDs.
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Schistosomicidal efficacy of bee venom-loaded pluronic F127 nanomicelles in S. mansoni infected CD1 mice. J Drug Deliv Sci Technol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jddst.2022.103344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Ding L, Shu Z, Hao J, Luo X, Ye X, Zhu W, Duan W, Chen Z. Schixator, a new FXa inhibitor from Schistosoma japonicum with antithrombotic effect and low bleeding risk. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2022; 603:138-143. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2022.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Apitherapy and Periodontal Disease: Insights into In Vitro, In Vivo, and Clinical Studies. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 11:antiox11050823. [PMID: 35624686 PMCID: PMC9137511 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11050823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Periodontal diseases are caused mainly by inflammation of the gums and bones surrounding the teeth or by dysbiosis of the oral microbiome, and the Global Burden of Disease study (2019) reported that periodontal disease affects 20-50% of the global population. In recent years, more preference has been given to natural therapies compared to synthetic drugs in the treatment of periodontal disease, and several oral care products, such as toothpaste, mouthwash, and dentifrices, have been developed comprising honeybee products, such as propolis, honey, royal jelly, and purified bee venom. In this study, we systematically reviewed the literature on the treatment of periodontitis using honeybee products. A literature search was performed using various databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Scopus, clinicaltrials.gov, and Google Scholar. A total of 31 studies were reviewed using eligibility criteria published between January 2016 and December 2021. In vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies (randomized clinical trials) were included. Based on the results of these studies, honeybee products, such as propolis and purified bee venom, were concluded to be effective and safe for use in the treatment of periodontitis mainly due to their antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities. However, to obtain reliable results from randomized clinical trials assessing the effectiveness of honeybee products in periodontal treatment with long-term follow-up, a broader sample size and assessment of various clinical parameters are needed.
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Al-Hatamleh MAI, Alshaer W, Hatmal MM, Lambuk L, Ahmed N, Mustafa MZ, Low SC, Jaafar J, Ferji K, Six JL, Uskoković V, Mohamud R. Applications of Alginate-Based Nanomaterials in Enhancing the Therapeutic Effects of Bee Products. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:865833. [PMID: 35480890 PMCID: PMC9035631 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.865833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the ancient times, bee products (i.e., honey, propolis, pollen, bee venom, bee bread, and royal jelly) have been considered as natural remedies with therapeutic effects against a number of diseases. The therapeutic pleiotropy of bee products is due to their diverse composition and chemical properties, which is independent on the bee species. This has encouraged researchers to extensively study the therapeutic potentials of these products, especially honey. On the other hand, amid the unprecedented growth in nanotechnology research and applications, nanomaterials with various characteristics have been utilized to improve the therapeutic efficiency of these products. Towards keeping the bee products as natural and non-toxic therapeutics, the green synthesis of nanocarriers loaded with these products or their extracts has received a special attention. Alginate is a naturally produced biopolymer derived from brown algae, the desirable properties of which include biodegradability, biocompatibility, non-toxicity and non-immunogenicity. This review presents an overview of alginates, including their properties, nanoformulations, and pharmaceutical applications, placing a particular emphasis on their applications for the enhancement of the therapeutic effects of bee products. Despite the paucity of studies on fabrication of alginate-based nanomaterials loaded with bee products or their extracts, recent advances in the area of utilizing alginate-based nanomaterials and other types of materials to enhance the therapeutic potentials of bee products are summarized in this work. As the most widespread and well-studied bee products, honey and propolis have garnered a special interest; combining them with alginate-based nanomaterials has led to promising findings, especially for wound healing and skin tissue engineering. Furthermore, future directions are proposed and discussed to encourage researchers to develop alginate-based stingless bee product nanomedicines, and to help in selecting suitable methods for devising nanoformulations based on multi-criteria decision making models. Also, the commercialization prospects of nanocomposites based on alginates and bee products are discussed. In conclusion, preserving original characteristics of the bee products is a critical challenge in developing nano-carrier systems. Alginate-based nanomaterials are well suited for this task because they can be fabricated without the use of harsh conditions, such as shear force and freeze-drying, which are often used for other nano-carriers. Further, conjunction of alginates with natural polymers such as honey does not only combine the medicinal properties of alginates and honey, but it could also enhance the mechanical properties and cell adhesion capacity of alginates.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Walhan Alshaer
- Cell Therapy Center (CTC), The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
| | - Ma’mon M. Hatmal
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, The Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan
| | - Lidawani Lambuk
- Department of Immunology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kota Bharu, Malaysia
| | - Naveed Ahmed
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kota Bharu, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Zulkifli Mustafa
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kota Bharu, Malaysia
| | - Siew Chun Low
- School of Chemical Engineering, Engineering Campus, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Nibong Tebal, Malaysia
| | - Juhana Jaafar
- Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC), School of Chemical and Energy Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Skudai, Malaysia
| | - Khalid Ferji
- LCPM, CNRS, Université de Lorraine, Nancy, France
| | - Jean-Luc Six
- LCPM, CNRS, Université de Lorraine, Nancy, France
| | | | - Rohimah Mohamud
- Department of Immunology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kota Bharu, Malaysia
- *Correspondence: Rohimah Mohamud,
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Antifungal, antibiofilm and anti-resistance activities of Brazilian monofloral honeys against Candida spp. BIOCATALYSIS AND AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bcab.2022.102335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
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79
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Dumitru CD, Neacsu IA, Grumezescu AM, Andronescu E. Bee-Derived Products: Chemical Composition and Applications in Skin Tissue Engineering. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14040750. [PMID: 35456584 PMCID: PMC9030501 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14040750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Revised: 03/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Skin tissue regeneration is one of the population’s most common problems, and the complications that may appear in the healing process can have detrimental consequences. An alternative to conventional treatments could be represented by sustainable materials based on natural products, such as honey and its derivates (propolis, royal jelly, bee pollen, beeswax, and bee venom). They exhibit significant inhibitory activities against bacteria and have great potential in dermal tissue regeneration. Research in the pharmaceutical field demonstrates that conventional medication combined with bee products can deliver better results. The advantages include minimizing side effects and maintaining the same effectiveness by using low concentrations of antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, or chemotherapy drugs. Several studies suggested that bee products can replace the antimicrobial activity and efficiency of antibiotics, but further investigation is needed to establish a topical mixture’s potential, including honey, royal jelly, and propolis. Bee products seem to complete each other’s deficiencies, and their mixture may have a better impact on the wound healing process. The topic addressed in this paper highlights the usefulness of honey, propolis, royal jelly, bee pollen, beeswax, and bee venom in the re-epithelization process and against most common bacterial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corina Dana Dumitru
- Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania; (C.D.D.); (A.M.G.); (E.A.)
| | - Ionela Andreea Neacsu
- Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania; (C.D.D.); (A.M.G.); (E.A.)
- Academy of Romanian Scientists, 3 Ilfov Street, 050044 Bucharest, Romania
- National Research Center for Micro and Nanomaterials, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
- Correspondence:
| | - Alexandru Mihai Grumezescu
- Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania; (C.D.D.); (A.M.G.); (E.A.)
- Academy of Romanian Scientists, 3 Ilfov Street, 050044 Bucharest, Romania
- Research Institute of the University of Bucharest—ICUB, University of Bucharest, 050657 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Ecaterina Andronescu
- Department of Science and Engineering of Oxide Materials and Nanomaterials, Faculty of Applied Chemistry and Materials Science, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 011061 Bucharest, Romania; (C.D.D.); (A.M.G.); (E.A.)
- Academy of Romanian Scientists, 3 Ilfov Street, 050044 Bucharest, Romania
- National Research Center for Micro and Nanomaterials, University Politehnica of Bucharest, 060042 Bucharest, Romania
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Yaacoub C, Wehbe R, Salma Y, El-Obeid D, El Bersaoui R, Coutard B, Fajloun Z. Apis mellifera syriaca Venom: Evaluation of Its Anticoagulant Effect, Proteolytic Activity, and Cytotoxicity along with Its Two Main Compounds-MEL and PLA2-On HeLa Cancer Cells. Molecules 2022; 27:1653. [PMID: 35268753 PMCID: PMC8911881 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27051653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 02/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Bee venom (BV) is one of the most remarkable natural products that has been a subject of studies since ancient times. Recent studies have shown that Apis mellifera syriaca venom possesses antibacterial as well as cytotoxic effects on cancer cell lines. The venom contains a variety of bioactive molecules-mainly melittin (MEL) and phospholipase A2 (PLA2), as well as other compounds that are not well characterized. In this work, we continue the biological characterization of A. mellifera syriaca venom by testing its anticoagulant effect on human plasma using the prothrombin time (PT) test, as well as assessing its proteolytic activity. In addition, the cytotoxicity of the crude venom-and of its two main components, MEL and PLA2-was tested on HeLa cancer cell lines for the first time. The results obtained showed the capacity of A. mellifera syriaca venom to increase clotting time, thereby proving its anticoagulant effect. Moreover, the venom did not demonstrate a significant proteolytic activity unless administrated at concentrations ≥ 5 mg/mL. Finally, we showed that crude A. mellifera syriaca venom, along with MEL, exhibit a strong in vitro cytotoxic effect on HeLa cancer cell lines, even at low concentrations. In summary, our findings could serve as a basis for the development of new natural-based drug candidates in the therapeutic field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carole Yaacoub
- Laboratory of Applied Biotechnology (LBA3B), Azm Center for Research in Biotechnology and Its Applications, EDST, Lebanese University, Tripoli 1300, Lebanon; (C.Y.); (Y.S.)
- Unité des Virus Émergents, Aix-Marseille University-IRD 190-Inserm 1207, IHU Méditerranée Infection, 13005 Marseille, France;
| | - Rim Wehbe
- Biology Department, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut 1107 2020, Lebanon;
| | - Yahya Salma
- Laboratory of Applied Biotechnology (LBA3B), Azm Center for Research in Biotechnology and Its Applications, EDST, Lebanese University, Tripoli 1300, Lebanon; (C.Y.); (Y.S.)
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences 3, Lebanese University, Michel Slayman Tripoli Campus Ras Maska, Tripoli 1352, Lebanon;
| | - Dany El-Obeid
- Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, Lebanese University, Dekwaneh, Beirut 2832, Lebanon;
| | - Romeo El Bersaoui
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences 3, Lebanese University, Michel Slayman Tripoli Campus Ras Maska, Tripoli 1352, Lebanon;
| | - Bruno Coutard
- Unité des Virus Émergents, Aix-Marseille University-IRD 190-Inserm 1207, IHU Méditerranée Infection, 13005 Marseille, France;
| | - Ziad Fajloun
- Laboratory of Applied Biotechnology (LBA3B), Azm Center for Research in Biotechnology and Its Applications, EDST, Lebanese University, Tripoli 1300, Lebanon; (C.Y.); (Y.S.)
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences 3, Lebanese University, Michel Slayman Tripoli Campus Ras Maska, Tripoli 1352, Lebanon;
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81
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Honeybee Venom Synergistically Enhances the Cytotoxic Effect of CNS Drugs in HT-29 Colon and MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cell Lines. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14030511. [PMID: 35335887 PMCID: PMC8952811 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14030511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and doxorubicin (DOX) are potent anti-tumour agents commonly used for colon and breast cancer therapy, respectively. However, their clinical application is limited by their side effects and the development of drug resistance. Honeybee venom is a complex mixture of substances that has been reported to be effective against different cancer cells. Its active compound is melittin, a positively charged amphipathic peptide that interacts with the phospholipids of the cell membrane, forming pores that enable the internalization of small molecules with cytotoxic activities,. and consequently, causing cell death. Some central nervous system (CNS) drugs have recently demonstrated great anti-cancer potential, both in vitro, in vivo and in clinical trials, being promising candidates for drug repurposing in oncology. The present work evaluated the anti-cancer efficacy of honeybee venom in combination with chemotherapeutic or CNS drugs in HT-29 colon and MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines. The chemical characterization of a Portuguese sample of honeybee venom was done by LC-DAD-ESI/MSn analysis. For single treatments, cells were incubated with increasing concentrations of bee venom. For combination treatments, increasing concentrations of bee venom were first combined with the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 5-FU and DOX, in HT-29 and MCF-7 cells, respectively. Cells were also treated with increasing concentrations of bee venom in combination with the IC50 value of four CNS drugs (fluphenazine, fluoxetine, sertraline and thioridazine). Cytotoxicity was evaluated by MTT and SRB assays. The combination index (CI) value was calculated using CompuSyn software, based on the Chou–Talalay method. Synergy scores of different reference models (HSA, Loewe, ZIP and Bliss) were also calculated using SynergyFinder. The results demonstrate that honeybee venom is active against HT-29 colon and MCF-7 breast cancer cells, having better anti-tumour activity in MCF-7 cells. It was found that bee venom combined with 5-FU and fluphenazine in HT-29 cells resulted in less cytotoxic effects compared to the co-treatment of fluoxetine, sertraline and thioridazine plus bee venom, which resulted in less than 15% of viable cells for the whole range of concentrations. The combination of MCF-7 cells with repurposed drugs plus honeybee venom resulted in better anti-cancer efficacies than with DOX, notably for lower concentrations. A combination of fluoxetine and thioridazine plus honeybee venom resulted in less than 40% of viable cells for all ranges of concentrations. These results support that the combination of honeybee venom with repurposed drugs and chemotherapeutic agents can help improve their anti-cancer activity, especially for lower concentrations, in both cell lines. Overall, the present study corroborates the enormous bioactive potential of honeybee venom for colon and breast cancer treatments, both alone and in combination with chemotherapy or repurposed drugs.
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82
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Bakour M, Laaroussi H, Ousaaid D, El Ghouizi A, Es-safi I, Mechchate H, Lyoussi B. New Insights into Potential Beneficial Effects of Bioactive Compounds of Bee Products in Boosting Immunity to Fight COVID-19 Pandemic: Focus on Zinc and Polyphenols. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14050942. [PMID: 35267917 PMCID: PMC8912813 DOI: 10.3390/nu14050942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an epidemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2). Populations at risk as well as those who can develop serious complications are people with chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and the elderly. Severe symptoms of SARS-CoV-2 infection are associated with immune failure and dysfunction. The approach of strengthening immunity may be the right choice in order to save lives. This review aimed to provide an overview of current information revealing the importance of bee products in strengthening the immune system against COVID-19. We highlighted the immunomodulatory and the antiviral effects of zinc and polyphenols, which may actively contribute to improving symptoms and preventing complications caused by COVID-19 and can counteract viral infections. Thus, this review will pave the way for conducting advanced experimental research to evaluate zinc and polyphenols-rich bee products to prevent and reduce the severity of COVID-19 symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meryem Bakour
- Laboratory of Natural Substances, Pharmacology, Environment, Modeling, Health, and Quality of Life (SNAMOPEQ), Faculty of Sciences Dhar El Mahraz, University Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah, Fez 30000, Morocco; (M.B.); (H.L.); (D.O.); (A.E.G.); (B.L.)
| | - Hassan Laaroussi
- Laboratory of Natural Substances, Pharmacology, Environment, Modeling, Health, and Quality of Life (SNAMOPEQ), Faculty of Sciences Dhar El Mahraz, University Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah, Fez 30000, Morocco; (M.B.); (H.L.); (D.O.); (A.E.G.); (B.L.)
| | - Driss Ousaaid
- Laboratory of Natural Substances, Pharmacology, Environment, Modeling, Health, and Quality of Life (SNAMOPEQ), Faculty of Sciences Dhar El Mahraz, University Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah, Fez 30000, Morocco; (M.B.); (H.L.); (D.O.); (A.E.G.); (B.L.)
| | - Asmae El Ghouizi
- Laboratory of Natural Substances, Pharmacology, Environment, Modeling, Health, and Quality of Life (SNAMOPEQ), Faculty of Sciences Dhar El Mahraz, University Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah, Fez 30000, Morocco; (M.B.); (H.L.); (D.O.); (A.E.G.); (B.L.)
| | - Imane Es-safi
- Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 55, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland;
| | - Hamza Mechchate
- Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 55, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland;
- Correspondence:
| | - Badiaa Lyoussi
- Laboratory of Natural Substances, Pharmacology, Environment, Modeling, Health, and Quality of Life (SNAMOPEQ), Faculty of Sciences Dhar El Mahraz, University Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah, Fez 30000, Morocco; (M.B.); (H.L.); (D.O.); (A.E.G.); (B.L.)
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Varol A, Sezen S, Evcimen D, Zarepour A, Ulus G, Zarrabi A, Badr G, Daştan SD, Orbayoğlu AG, Selamoğlu Z, Varol M. Cellular targets and molecular activity mechanisms of bee venom in cancer: recent trends and developments. TOXIN REV 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/15569543.2021.2024576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ayşegül Varol
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Serap Sezen
- Sabanci University Nanotechnology Research and Application Center (SUNUM), Istanbul, Turkey
- Faculty of Engineering and Natural Science, Sabanci University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Dilhan Evcimen
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Kotekli Campus, Mugla Sitki Kocman University, Mugla, Turkey
| | - Atefeh Zarepour
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Istinye University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Gönül Ulus
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Ali Zarrabi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Istinye University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Gamal Badr
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Laboratory of Immunology, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Sevgi Durna Daştan
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Sivas Cumhuriyet University, Sivas, Turkey
| | - Asya Gülistan Orbayoğlu
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Kotekli Campus, Mugla Sitki Kocman University, Mugla, Turkey
| | - Zeliha Selamoğlu
- Department Medical Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Nigde Ömer Halisdemir University, Nigde, Turkey
| | - Mehmet Varol
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Kotekli Campus, Mugla Sitki Kocman University, Mugla, Turkey
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84
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Małek A, Kocot J, Mitrowska K, Posyniak A, Kurzepa J. Bee Venom Effect on Glioblastoma Cells Viability and Gelatinase Secretion. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:792970. [PMID: 35221898 PMCID: PMC8873382 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.792970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BackgroundThe involvement of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in the pathogenesis of various kinds of cancers including glioblastoma is well documented. The evaluation of the anticancer potential of honey bee (Apis mellifera) venom (BV) consisting of the inhibition of MMP-2 and MMP-9 secretion in a glioblastoma cell culture model was the aim of the study.Methods8-MG-BA and GAMG human primary glioblastoma cell lines vs. HT-22 mouse hippocampal neuronal cells were applied for the study. The BV dose (0.5, 1.0, 1.25, 1.5, 1.75, 2.0, 2.5, and 5.0 μg/ml) and time-dependent (24, 48, 72 h) cytotoxicity was evaluated with the tetrazolium-based colorimetric assay (MTT test). MMP-2 and MMP-9 activities in the cell culture medium under different BV concentrations were determined by gelatin zymography.ResultsA dose and time-dependent BV effect on cytotoxicity of both glioblastoma cell lines and hippocampus line was observed. The weakest, but statistically important effect was exerted by BV on HT-22 cells. The greatest cytotoxic effect of BV was observed on the 8-MG-BA line, where a statistically significant reduction in viability was observed at the lowest BV dose and the shortest incubation time. The reduction of both gelatinases secretion was observed at 8-MG-BA and GAMG lines without significant effect of HT-22 cell line.ConclusionIn vitro studies indicate that BV has both cytotoxic and inhibitory effects on the secretion of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in selected lines of glioma, suggesting anticancer properties of BV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agata Małek
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
- *Correspondence: Agata Małek,
| | - Joanna Kocot
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
| | - Kamila Mitrowska
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Veterinary Research Institute, Puławy, Poland
| | - Andrzej Posyniak
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Veterinary Research Institute, Puławy, Poland
| | - Jacek Kurzepa
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland
- Jacek Kurzepa,
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Salimian F, Nabiuni M, Salehghamari E. Melittin Prevents Metastasis of Epidermal Growth Factor-Induced MDA-MB-231 Cells through The Inhibition of The SDF-1α/CXCR4 Signaling Pathway. CELL JOURNAL 2022; 24:85-90. [PMID: 35279964 PMCID: PMC8918271 DOI: 10.22074/cellj.2022.7626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Objective Melittin is one of the natural components of bee venom (Apis mellifera), and its anticancer and antimetastatic properties have been well established, but the underlying mechanism remains elusive. The MDA-MB-231 is a triplenegative cell line that is highly aggressive and invasive. Besides, many critical proteins are involved in tumor invasion and metastasis. In this study, we investigated whether melittin inhibits the migration and metastasis of epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced MDA-MB-231 cells via the suppression of SDF-1α/CXCR4 and Rac1-mediated signaling pathways. Materials and Methods In this experimental study, cells were treated with melittin (0.5-4 μg/ml), and the toxicity of melittin was assessed by the MTT assay. Afterward, the migration assay was conducted to measure the degree of the migration of EGF-induced cells. The western blot technique was performed to analyze the rate of Rac1, p-Rac1, SDF- 1α, and CXCR4 expression in different groups. Results The results demonstrated that melittin markedly suppressed the migration of EGF-induced cells and decreased the expression of p-Rac1, CXCR4, and SDF-1α proteins. Conclusion The results of the present study suggested that the anti-tumor properties of melittin could be through the blocking of the SDF-1α/CXCR4 signaling pathway, which is beneficial for the reduction of tumor migration and invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mohammad Nabiuni
- P.O.Box: 31979-37551Department of Cell and Molecular BiologyFaculty of Biological SciencesKharazmi
UniversityTehranIran
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Zhao Y, Antunes A. Biomedical Potential of the Neglected Molluscivorous and Vermivorous Conus Species. Mar Drugs 2022; 20:md20020105. [PMID: 35200635 PMCID: PMC8878422 DOI: 10.3390/md20020105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Revised: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Within the Conidae family, the piscivorous Conus species have been a hotspot target for drug discovery. Here, we assess the relevance of Conus and their other feeding habits, and thus under distinctive evolutionary constraints, to highlight the potential of neglected molluscivorous and vermivorous species in biomedical research and pharmaceutical industry. By singling out the areas with inadequate Conus disquisition, such as the Tamil Nadu Coast and the Andaman Islands, research resources can be expanded and better protected through awareness. In this study, 728 Conus species and 190 species from three other genera (1 from Californiconus, 159 from Conasprella and 30 from Profundiconus) in the Conidae family are assessed. The phylogenetic relationships of the Conidae species are determined and their known feeding habits superimposed. The worm-hunting species appeared first, and later the mollusc- and fish-hunting species were derived independently in the Neogene period (around 23 million years ago). Interestingly, many Conus species in the warm and shallow waters become polyphagous, allowing them to hunt both fish and worms, given the opportunities. Such newly gained trait is multi originated. This is controversial, given the traditional idea that most Conus species are specialized to hunt certain prey categories. However, it shows the functional complexity and great potential of conopeptides from some worm-eating species. Pharmaceutical attempts and relevant omics data have been differentially obtained. Indeed, data from the fish-hunting species receive strong preference over the worm-hunting ones. Expectedly, conopeptides from the fish-hunting species are believed to include the most potential candidates for biomedical research. Our work revisits major findings throughout the Conus evolution and emphasizes the importance of increasing omics surveys complemented with further behavior observation studies. Hence, we claim that Conus species and their feeding habits are equally important, highlighting many places left for Conus exploration worldwide. We also discuss the Conotoxin drug discovery potentials and the urgency of protecting the bioresources of Conus species. In particular, some vermivorous species have demonstrated great potential in malaria therapy, while other conotoxins from several worm- and mollusc-eating species exhibited explicit correlation with SARS-CoV-2. Reclaiming idle data with new perspectives could also promote interdisciplinary studies in both virological and toxicological fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yihe Zhao
- CIIMAR/CIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, s/n, 4450-208 Porto, Portugal;
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Agostinho Antunes
- CIIMAR/CIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Av. General Norton de Matos, s/n, 4450-208 Porto, Portugal;
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +353-22-340-1813
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87
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Sweet Bee Venom Triggers Multiple Cell Death Pathways or Spurs Acute Cell Rupture According to Its Concentration in THP-1 Monocytic Leukemia Cells. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13020223. [PMID: 35205267 PMCID: PMC8872029 DOI: 10.3390/genes13020223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Revised: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Sweet bee venom (sBV) contains various pharmacologically active components of bee venom (BV), but it is modified via the removal of the harmful substances found in BV. Thus, sBV has been used for pain relief in Oriental medicine but has only recently been applied for the treatment of various diseases. In this study, we examined the pharmacological effects and immunomodulatory functions of sBV in THP-1 monocytic leukemia cells. Growth inhibition and cell death were observed according to the concentration of sBV. However, the rapid collapse of cell cycle distribution was shown at 20 μg/mL sBV treatment, indicating that sBV led to cell death or acute cell rupture according to concentration. sBV administration activated Caspase-9, PARP1, RIPK1, and RIPK3, suggesting that the pharmacological actions of sBV were associated with induction of apoptosis and necroptosis. On the other hand, sBV or LPS administration increased cytokine expression, including IL-1β, and showed synergistic cell death in combinatory treatment conditions. Moreover, combinatory administration of sBV and LPS induced severe damage or death during egg development. This result implies that sBV exhibits both pharmacological and toxic effects depending on its concentration. Therefore, sBV might be a promising therapeutic approach, but optimal concentration should be considered before treatment.
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88
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Cilia G, Bortolotti L, Albertazzi S, Ghini S, Nanetti A. Honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colonies as bioindicators of environmental SARS-CoV-2 occurrence. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 805:150327. [PMID: 34543793 PMCID: PMC8438869 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.150327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. Airflows sustain the infection spread, and in densely urbanized areas airborne particulate matters (PMs) are deemed to aggravate the viral transmission. Apis mellifera colonies are used as bioindicators as they allow environmental sampling of different nature, PMs included. This experiment demonstrates for the first time the possible use of honey bee colonies in the SARS-CoV-2 monitoring. The trial was conducted in Bologna on 18 March 2021, when the third wave of the Italian pandemic was at its peak and environmental conditions allowed high PM concentrations in the air. Sterile swabs were lined up at the hive entrance to sample the dusty material on the body of returning foragers. All of them resulted positive for the target genes of viral SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Likewise, internal samples were taken, but they resulted in no amplification of the target sequences. This experiment does not support speculations about the role of honey bees or their products in SARS-CoV-2 transmission. However, it indicates a novel use of A. mellifera colonies in the environmental detection of airborne human pathogens, at least in a densely urbanized area, deserving better understanding and possible integration with data from automatic air samplers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Cilia
- CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, Via di Saliceto 80, 40128 Bologna, Italy.
| | - Laura Bortolotti
- CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, Via di Saliceto 80, 40128 Bologna, Italy
| | - Sergio Albertazzi
- CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, Via di Saliceto 80, 40128 Bologna, Italy
| | - Severino Ghini
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnologies, Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, Italy
| | - Antonio Nanetti
- CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, Via di Saliceto 80, 40128 Bologna, Italy
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89
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El Mehdi I, Falcão SI, Boujraf S, Mustapha H, Campos MG, Vilas-Boas M. Analytical methods for honeybee venom characterization. J Adv Pharm Technol Res 2022; 13:154-160. [PMID: 35935688 PMCID: PMC9355049 DOI: 10.4103/japtr.japtr_166_21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2021] [Revised: 10/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The discovery of new drugs has benefited significantly from the development of research in venomics, increasing our understanding of the envenomation processes. It has been previously reported that honeybee venom (HBV) exhibits several pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antimutagenic, radioprotective, and anticancer activity and may inclusively act as a complementary treatment for SARS-CoV-2. It composition consists mainly on melittin, phospholipase A2, and apamin but other constituents such as hyaluronidase, mast cell degranulating peptide and secapin are also relevant for its bioactivity. However, and because HBV is not officially recognized as a drug, until now, the international community did not establish quality standards for it. To uncover its exact composition, and boost the discovery of HBV-derived drugs, a significant number of techniques were developed. In this review, a relevant overview of the so far published analytical methods for HBV characterization is organized with the aim to accelerate its future standardization. The literature search was performed within PubMed, Google Scholar, and Science Direct by selecting specific documents and exploring HBV evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iouraouine El Mehdi
- Prof. Said, Clinical Neurosciences Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy; Department of Biophysics and Clinical MRI Methods, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University Sidi Mohamed ben Abdellah, Fez, Morocco,Department of Biophysics and Clinical MRI Methods, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University Sidi Mohamed ben Abdellah, Fez, Morocco,Centro de Investigação de Montanha, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, Bragança, Portugal
| | - Soraia I. Falcão
- Centro de Investigação de Montanha, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, Bragança, Portugal
| | - Saïd Boujraf
- Prof. Said, Clinical Neurosciences Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy; Department of Biophysics and Clinical MRI Methods, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University Sidi Mohamed ben Abdellah, Fez, Morocco,Department of Biophysics and Clinical MRI Methods, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University Sidi Mohamed ben Abdellah, Fez, Morocco,Address for correspondence: Prof. Dr. Saïd Boujraf, Department of Biophysics and Clinical MRI Methods, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University Sidi Mohamed ben Abdellah, BP. 1893; Km 2.200, Sidi Hrazem Road, Fez 30000, Morocco. E-mail:
| | - Harandou Mustapha
- Prof. Said, Clinical Neurosciences Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy; Department of Biophysics and Clinical MRI Methods, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University Sidi Mohamed ben Abdellah, Fez, Morocco
| | - Maria G. Campos
- Observatory of Drug-Herb Interactions, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Health Sciences Campus, Azinhaga de Santa Comba,Coimbra Chemistry Centre (CQC, FCT Unit 313) (FCTUC), Univ Coimbra, Rua Larga, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Miguel Vilas-Boas
- Centro de Investigação de Montanha, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, Bragança, Portugal
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90
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Chemical, Cytotoxic, and Anti-Inflammatory Assessment of Honey Bee Venom from Apis mellifera intermissa. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10121514. [PMID: 34943726 PMCID: PMC8698958 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10121514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The venom from Apis mellifera intermissa, the main honey bee prevailing in Morocco, has been scarcely studied, despite its known potential for pharmacological applications. In the present work, we investigated the composition, the anti-inflammatory activity, and the venom’s cytotoxic properties from fifteen honey bee venom (HBV) samples collected in three regions: northeast, central, and southern Morocco. The chemical assessment of honey bee venom was performed using LC-DAD/ESI/MSn, NIR spectroscopy and AAS spectroscopy. The antiproliferative effect was evaluated using human tumor cell lines, including breast adenocarcinoma, non-small cell lung carcinoma, cervical carcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, and malignant melanoma. Likewise, we assessed the anti-inflammatory activity using the murine macrophage cell line. The study provides information on the honey bee venom subspecies’ main components, such as melittin, apamin, and phospholipase A2, with compositional variation depending on the region of collection. Contents of toxic elements such as cadmium, chromium, and plumb were detected at a concentration below 5 ppm, which can be regarded as safe for pharmaceutical use. The data presented contribute to the first study in HBV from Apis mellifera intermissa and highlight the remarkable antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory effects of HBV, suggesting it to be a candidate natural medicine to explore.
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91
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Amar S, El-Bolok AHM, El-Gayar SF, Sholkamy MI. Synergistic Cytotoxic Effect of Honey Bee Venom and Cisplatin on Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cell Line. Open Access Maced J Med Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.3889/oamjms.2021.7672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Tongue cancer is one of the most common head and neck cancers in the world. Nowadays, natural compounds are important resources of many anti-cancer drugs. Venom from honey bees possesses potent anti-cancer activities. Cisplatin is a chemotherapeutic drug that has been used for decades to treat cancer cells. Recently, combination therapy has been a popular treatment choice for cancer patients.
AIM: This study was conducted to evaluate the synergistic cytotoxic effect of honey bee venom (BV) and cisplatin on tongue squamous cell carcinoma 25 (SCC-25) cell lines.
METHODS: The cytotoxic effect was determined using methyl thiazol tetrazolium assay, microscopic examination, real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and statistical analysis.
RESULTS: The findings revealed that the cytotoxic potential of the tested drugs on SCC-25 cells was dose-dependent. Microscopic examination showed that BV and cisplatin alone and in combination mainly produced apoptotic cell death. Regarding RT-PCR results, P53 and caspase-3 expression levels were significantly increased in SCC-25-treated cells (p = 0.0001).
CONCLUSION: The combined use of BV and cisplatin induced a marked synergistic cytotoxic effect on SCC-25 cell line.
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92
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Bee Venom, Honey, and Royal Jelly in the Treatment of Bacterial Infections of the Oral Cavity: A Review. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:life11121311. [PMID: 34947842 PMCID: PMC8709083 DOI: 10.3390/life11121311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 11/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Oral diseases affect a very large number of people, and the applied pharmacological methods of treatment and/or prevention have serious side effects. Therefore, it is necessary to search for new, safer methods of treatment. Natural bee products, such as honey, royal jelly, and bee venom, can be a promising alternative in the treatment of oral cavity bacterial infections. Thus, we performed an extensive literature search to find and summarize all articles about the antibacterial activity of honey, royal jelly, and bee venom. Our analysis showed that these bee products have strong activity against the bacterial strains causing caries, periodontitis, gingivitis, pharyngitis, recurrent aphthous ulcers, supragingival, and subgingival plaque. An analysis of average MIC values showed that honey and royal jelly have the highest antimicrobial activity against Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum. In turn, bee venom has an antibacterial effect against Streptococcus mutans. Streptococcus sobrinus and Streptoccus pyogenes were the most resistant species to different types of honey, and royal jelly, respectively. Moreover, these products are safer in comparison to the chemical compounds used in the treatment of oral cavity bacterial infections. Since the antimicrobial activity of bee products depends on their chemical composition, more research is needed to standardize the composition of these compounds before they could be used in the treatment of oral cavity bacterial infections.
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93
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Luo X, Dong Y, Gu C, Zhang X, Ma H. Processing Technologies for Bee Products: An Overview of Recent Developments and Perspectives. Front Nutr 2021; 8:727181. [PMID: 34805239 PMCID: PMC8595947 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2021.727181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Increased demand for a more balanced, healthy, and safe diet has accelerated studies on natural bee products (including honey, bee bread, bee collected pollen royal jelly, propolis, beeswax, and bee venom) over the past decade. Advanced food processing techniques, such as ultrasonication and microwave and infrared (IR) irradiation, either has gained popularity as alternatives or combined with conventional processing techniques for diverse applications in apiculture products at laboratory or industrial scale. The processing techniques used for each bee products have comprehensively summarized in this review, including drying (traditional drying, infrared drying, microwave-assisted traditional drying or vacuum drying, and low temperature high velocity-assisted fluidized bed drying), storage, extraction, isolation, and identification; the assessment methods related to the quality control of bee products are also fully mentioned. The different processing techniques applied in bee products aim to provide more healthy active ingredients largely and effectively. Furthermore, improved the product quality with a shorter processing time and reduced operational cost are achieved using conventional or emerging processing techniques. This review will increase the positive ratings of the combined new processing techniques according to the needs of the bee products. The importance of the models for process optimization on a large scale is also emphasized in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Luo
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Yating Dong
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Chen Gu
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Xueli Zhang
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Haile Ma
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
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94
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AKAY M, KALAYCIOĞLU Z, KOLAYLI S, BERKER B. Comparative Determination of Melittin by Capillary Electrophoretic Methods. JOURNAL OF THE TURKISH CHEMICAL SOCIETY, SECTION A: CHEMISTRY 2021. [DOI: 10.18596/jotcsa.949188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
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95
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Lotfy DM, Hasan HF, Mostafa DM. Pulmonary prophylactic impact of bee venom against alterations induced by gamma irradiation via TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway in rats. TOXIN REV 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/15569543.2021.1988979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Dina Mahmoud Lotfy
- Drug Radiation Research Department, National Center for Radiation Research and Technology, (NCRRT), Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority (EAEA), Cairo, Egypt
| | - Hesham Farouk Hasan
- Radiation Biology Department, National Center for Radiation Research and Technology, (NCRRT), Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority (EAEA), Cairo, Egypt
| | - Dalia M. Mostafa
- Radiation Biology Department, National Center for Radiation Research and Technology, (NCRRT), Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority (EAEA), Cairo, Egypt
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96
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Abd El-Hameed AM, Abuelsaad ASA, Khalil A. Bee venom acupuncture therapy ameliorates neuroinflammatory alterations in a pilocarpine-induced epilepticus model. Metab Brain Dis 2021; 36:2047-2058. [PMID: 34138441 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-021-00766-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Bee venom (BV) is applied in different traditional medicinal therapies and is used worldwide to prevent and treat many acute and chronic diseases. Epilepsy has various neurological effects, e.g., epileptogenic insults; thus, it is considered a life-threatening condition. Seizures and their effects add to the burden of epilepsy because they can have health effects including residual disability and even premature mortality. The use of antiinflammatory drugs to treat epilepsy is controversial; therefore, the alternative nonchemical apitherapy benefits of BV were evaluated in the present study by assessing neuroinflammatory changes in a pilocarpine-induced epilepticus model. Levels of electrolytes, neurotransmitters, and mRNA expression for some gate channels were determined. Moreover, ELISA assays were conducted to detect pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, whereas RT-PCR was performed to assess mRNA expression of Foxp3 and CTLA-4. BV ameliorated the interruption in electrolytes and ions through voltage- and ligand-gated ion channels, and it limited neuronal excitability via rapid repolarization of action potentials. In addition, BV inhibited the high expression of proinflammatory cytokines. Acupuncture with BV was effective in preventing some of the deleterious consequences of epileptogenesis associated with high levels of glutamate and DOPA in the hippocampus. BV ameliorates changes in the expression of voltage-gated channels, rebalances blood electrolytes and neurotransmitters, and modulates the levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Thus, BV could reduce the progression of epileptogenesis as a cotherapy with other antiepileptic drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Abdelaziz S A Abuelsaad
- Immunology Division, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Beni-Suef University, 62511, Beni-Suef, Egypt.
| | - Abdelwahab Khalil
- Medical Entomology Division, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, 62521, Egypt
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97
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Zahran F, Mohamad A, Zein N. Bee venom ameliorates cardiac dysfunction in diabetic hyperlipidemic rats. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2021; 246:2630-2644. [PMID: 34550826 DOI: 10.1177/15353702211045924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
High levels of blood glucose and lipids are well-known risk factors for heart diseases. Bee venom is a natural product that has a potent hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects. The current study aimed to determine the bee venom effects on cardiac dysfunction compared to combined therapy of metformin and atorvastatin in diabetic hyperlipidemic rats. The median lethal dose of bee venom was estimated, and then 50 adult male albino rats were categorized into five groups. One group was fed a standard diet and served as a negative control, while the other groups were given nicotinamide and streptozotocin injections to induce type 2 diabetes. After confirming diabetes, the rats were fed a high-fat diet for four weeks. The four groups were divided as follows: one group served as a positive control, whereas the other three groups were treated with bee venom (0.5 mg/kg), bee venom (1.23 mg/kg), and combined therapy of metformin (60 mg/kg) and atorvastatin (10 mg/kg), respectively, for four weeks. Upon termination of the experiment, blood samples and heart tissue were obtained. Administration of bee venom using both doses (0.5 and 1.23 mg/kg) and combined therapy of metformin and atorvastatin revealed a significant decrease in the concentrations of glucose, total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, troponin I, creatine kinase, and lactate dehydrogenase activities. Moreover, a significant decrease had been detedcted in malondialdehyde, nuclear factor-kappa-β levels, and relative mRNA expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 and galectin-3 in heart tissue compared to the positive control (P < 0.0001). Furthermore, there was a significant increase in bodyweight levels of insulin, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and total antioxidant capacity in heart tissue compared to the positive control (P < 0.0001). The results indicate that bee venom can ameliorate cardiac dysfunction through attenuating oxidative stress and downregulating the NF-κβ signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faten Zahran
- Biochemistry Division, Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt
| | - Alaa Mohamad
- Biochemistry Division, Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt
| | - Nabila Zein
- Biochemistry Division, Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt
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98
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Mansour GH, El-Magd MA, Mahfouz DH, Abdelhamid IA, Mohamed MF, Ibrahim NS, Hady A Abdel Wahab A, Elzayat EM. Bee venom and its active component Melittin synergistically potentiate the anticancer effect of Sorafenib against HepG2 cells. Bioorg Chem 2021; 116:105329. [PMID: 34544028 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2021.105329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
There are current attempts to find a safe substitute or adjuvant for Sorafenib (Sorf), the standard treatment for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), as it triggers very harsh side effects and drug-resistance. The therapeutic properties of Bee Venom (BV) and its active component, Melittin (Mel), make them suitable candidates as potential anti-cancer agents per-se or as adjuvants for cancer chemotherapy. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate the combining effect of BV and Mel with Sorf on HepG2 cells and to investigate their molecular mechanisms of action. Docking between Mel and different tumor-markers was performed. The cytotoxicity of BV, Mel and Sorf on HepG2 and THLE-2 cells was conducted. Combinations of BV/Sorf and Mel/Sorf were performed in non-constant ratios on HepG2. Expression of major cancer-related genes and oxidative stress status was evaluated and the cell cycle was analyzed. The computational analysis showed that Mel can bind to and inhibit XIAP, Bcl2, MDM2, CDK2 and MMP12. Single treatments of BV, Mel and Sorf on HepG2 showed lower IC50than on THLE-2. All combinations revealed a synergistic effect at a combination index (CI) < 1. Significant upregulation (p < 0.05) of p53, Bax, Cas3, Cas7 and PTEN and significant downregulation (p < 0.05) of Bcl-2, Cyclin-D1, Rac1, Nf-κB, HIF-1a, VEGF and MMP9 were observed. The oxidative stress markers including MDA, SOD, CAT and GPx showed insignificant changes, while the cell cycle was arrested at G2/M phase. In conclusion, BV and Mel have a synergistic anticancer effect with Sorf on HepG2 that may represent a new enhancing strategy for HCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghada H Mansour
- Biotechnology, Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt.
| | - Mohammed A El-Magd
- Anatomy Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh 33516, Egypt.
| | - Dalia H Mahfouz
- Biotechnology, Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt
| | - Ismail A Abdelhamid
- Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt.
| | - Magda F Mohamed
- Biochemistry Branch, Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt; Chemistry Department, College of Science and Arts, University of Jeddah, Jeddah 21959, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nada S Ibrahim
- Biochemistry Branch, Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt
| | | | - Emad M Elzayat
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt.
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99
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Lee HS, Kim YS, Lee KS, Seo HS, Lee CY, Kim KK. Detoxification of Bee Venom Increases Its Anti-inflammatory Activity and Decreases Its Cytotoxicity and Allergenic Activity. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 2021; 193:4068-4082. [PMID: 34542820 PMCID: PMC8450311 DOI: 10.1007/s12010-021-03653-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Bee venom is a medicinal product that is widely used in traditional therapies owing to its excellent anti-inflammatory activity. However, the use of bee venom has shown adverse effects. Therefore, there is a need for research that can remove the cytotoxicity of bee venom and enhance its efficacy. In this study, we hydrolyzed melittin, the main component of bee venom, and removed the other components to eliminate the toxicity of bee venom. To compare the efficacy of bee venom and detoxified bee venom, we examined their antioxidant effects using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay. In addition, cytotoxicity was confirmed in MCF 10A and RAW 264.7 cells, using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium, inner salt (MTS) assay. Detoxified bee venom showed a strong antioxidant activity and decreased a cytotoxicity in MCF 10A and RAW 264.7 cells. The anti-inflammatory activity of detoxified bee venom and bee venom were assessed by comparison of the expression of inflammatory cytokine mRNA and phosphorylation of IκBα in RAW 264.7 cells. Degranulation in RBL-2H3 cells was analyzed through β-hexosaminidase release assay to confirm the allergenic activity of bee venom and detoxified bee venom. Treatment of the detoxified bee venom inhibited inflammatory cytokine mRNA expression, IκBα phosphorylation, and β-hexosaminidase release. Taken together, the results indicated that compared to bee venom, detoxified bee venom exhibited decreased cytotoxicity and allergenicity and increased anti-inflammatory activity. In conclusion, detoxification of bee venom efficiently decreases the adverse effects, making it suitable for medicinal applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyo-Sung Lee
- Department of Biochemistry, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong Soo Kim
- Dong Seo Medical Research Institute, 12048, 15, Yangji-ro, Onam-eup, Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyeong-Seob Lee
- Dong Seo Medical Research Institute, 12048, 15, Yangji-ro, Onam-eup, Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyoung-Suk Seo
- Dong Seo Medical Research Institute, 12048, 15, Yangji-ro, Onam-eup, Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea.,Department of Food and Nutrition, Hoseo University, Asan, 31499, Republic of Korea
| | - Chan-Yong Lee
- Department of Biochemistry, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Kee K Kim
- Department of Biochemistry, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 34134, Republic of Korea.
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100
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Bee Venom Alleviated Edema and Pain in Monosodium Urate Crystals-Induced Gouty Arthritis in Rat by Inhibiting Inflammation. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13090661. [PMID: 34564665 PMCID: PMC8473022 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13090661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 09/11/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Bee venom (BV) acupuncture has anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects; therefore, it was used as a traditional Korean medicine for various musculoskeletal disorders, especially arthritis. In this study, we investigated the effect of BV on monosodium urate (MSU) crystal-induced acute gouty rats. An intra-articular injection of MSU crystal suspension (1.25 mg/site) was administered to the tibiotarsal joint of the hind paw of Sprague Dawley rats to induce MSU crystal-induced gouty arthritis. Colchicine (30 mg/kg) was orally administered 1 h before MSU crystal injection as a positive control, and BV (0.5 mg/kg) was injected into the tibiotarsal joint immediately after MSU crystal injection. The ankle thickness, mechanical allodynia, and expression of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL6, COX2 and iNOS) and chemokines (MIP-1α, MIP-1β, MCP-1, GRO-α, MIP-2α) were then evaluated. BV reduced the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, which are important mediators of MSU crystal-induced inflammatory responses. This anti-inflammatory effect was also confirmed histologically to attenuate synovitis and neutrophil infiltration. We demonstrated that BV markedly ameliorated ankle edema and mechanical allodynia in gouty rats. These results suggest that BV acupuncture is a potential clinical therapy for acute gouty management.
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