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Kaabeche M, Charreton M, Kadala A, Mutterer J, Charnet P, Collet C. Cardiotoxicity of the diamide insecticide chlorantraniliprole in the intact heart and in isolated cardiomyocytes from the honey bee. Sci Rep 2024; 14:14938. [PMID: 38942905 PMCID: PMC11213956 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65007-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 06/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024] Open
Abstract
In honey bees, circulation of blood (hemolymph) is driven by the peristaltic contraction of the heart vessel located in the dorsal part of the abdomen. Chlorantraniliprole (CHL) is an insecticide of the anthranilic diamide class which main mode of action is to alter the function of intracellular Ca2+ release channels (known as RyRs, for ryanodine receptors). In the honey bee, it was recently found to be more toxic when applied on the dorsal part of the abdomen, suggesting a direct cardiotoxicity. In the present study, a short-term exposure of semi-isolated bee hearts to CHL (0.1-10 µM) induces alterations of cardiac contraction. These alterations range from a slow-down of systole and diastole kinetics, to bradycardia and cardiac arrest. The bees heart wall is made of a single layer of semi-circular cardiomyocytes arranged concentrically all along the long axis of tube lumen. Since the heart tube is suspended to the cuticle through long tubular muscles fibers (so-called alary muscle cells), the CHL effects in ex-vivo heart preparations could result from the modulation of RyRs present in these skeletal muscle fibers as well as cardiomyocytes RyRs themselves. In order to specifically assess effects of CHL on cardiomyocytes, for the first time, intact heart cells were enzymatically dissociated from bees. Exposure of cardiomyocytes to CHL induces an increase in cytoplasmic calcium, cell contraction at the highest concentrations and depletion of intracellular stores. Electrophysiological properties of isolated cardiomyocytes were described, with a focus on voltage-gated Ca2+ channels responsible for the cardiac action potentials depolarization phase. Two types of Ca2+ currents were measured under voltage-clamp. Exposure to CHL was accompanied by a decrease in voltage-activated Ca2+ currents densities. Altogether, these results show that chlorantraniliprole can cause cardiac defects in honey bees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahira Kaabeche
- Institut National de la Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement, INRAE, UR406 Abeilles et Environnement, Avignon, France
| | - Mercedes Charreton
- Institut National de la Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement, INRAE, UR406 Abeilles et Environnement, Avignon, France
| | - Aklesso Kadala
- Institut National de la Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement, INRAE, UR406 Abeilles et Environnement, Avignon, France
| | - Jérôme Mutterer
- CNRS, UPR 2357, Institut de biologie moleculaire des plantes, 67084, Strasbourg, France
| | - Pierre Charnet
- CNRS, UMR 5247, Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron, Université Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Claude Collet
- Institut National de la Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement, INRAE, UR406 Abeilles et Environnement, Avignon, France.
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Zufriategui C, Porrini MP, Eguaras MJ, Garrido PM. Detrimental effects of amitraz exposure in honey bees (Apis mellifera) infected with Nosema ceranae. Parasitol Res 2024; 123:204. [PMID: 38709330 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-024-08225-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
In recent years, there has been growing concern on the potential weakening of honey bees and their increased susceptibility to pathogens due to chronic exposure to xenobiotics. The present work aimed to study the effects on bees undergoing an infection by Nosema ceranae and being exposed to a frequently used in-hive acaricide, amitraz. To achieve this, newly emerged bees were individually infected with N. ceranae spores and/or received a sublethal concentration of amitraz in their diets under laboratory conditions. Mortality, food intake, total volume excrement, body appearance, and parasite development were registered. Bees exposed to both stressors jointly had higher mortality rates compared to bees exposed separately, with no difference in the parasite development. An increase in sugar syrup consumption was observed for all treated bees while infected bees fed with amitraz also showed a diminishment in pollen intake. These results coupled with an increase in the total number of excretion events, alterations in behavior and body surface on individuals that received amitraz could evidence the detrimental action of this molecule. To corroborate these findings under semi-field conditions, worker bees were artificially infected, marked, and released into colonies. Then, they were exposed to a commercial amitraz-based product by contact. The recovered bees showed no differences in the parasite development due to amitraz exposure. This study provides evidence to which extent a honey bee infected with N. ceranae could potentially be weakened by chronic exposure to amitraz treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Zufriategui
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM)-CONICET-UNMdP; Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata-CONICET, Centro de Asociación Simple CIC PBA, Mar del Plata, Argentina
- Centro de Investigaciones en Abejas Sociales, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Martín Pablo Porrini
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM)-CONICET-UNMdP; Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata-CONICET, Centro de Asociación Simple CIC PBA, Mar del Plata, Argentina
- Centro de Investigaciones en Abejas Sociales, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Martín Javier Eguaras
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM)-CONICET-UNMdP; Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata-CONICET, Centro de Asociación Simple CIC PBA, Mar del Plata, Argentina
- Centro de Investigaciones en Abejas Sociales, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - Paula Melisa Garrido
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM)-CONICET-UNMdP; Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata-CONICET, Centro de Asociación Simple CIC PBA, Mar del Plata, Argentina.
- Centro de Investigaciones en Abejas Sociales, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Argentina.
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Contrera FAL, Lopes BDSC, da Paz CA, Hamoy MKO, dos Santos MF, Barbosa GB, do Amaral ALG, de Pinho LHB, Hamoy M. First Records of Heartbeats via ECG in a Stingless Bee, Melipona flavolineata (Apidae, Meliponini), during Contention Stress Using Isoflurane as an Anesthetic. INSECTS 2023; 14:696. [PMID: 37623406 PMCID: PMC10455334 DOI: 10.3390/insects14080696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
The hemodynamic activity of Melipona flavolineata workers was evaluated during restraint stress for a period of 30 min. The observed parameters were power variation in the elapsed time, and subsequently, six periods of one second were divided and called A, B, C, D, E and F; in each period, the electrocardiographic parameters were evaluated: spike frequency, amplitude, spike intervals and spike duration. The experiment was carried out with eight worker bees of M. flavolineata, for which electrodes of a nickel-chromium alloy were made. The bees were previously anesthetized with isoflurane and properly contained and fixed in a base for stereotaxis in which the electrode was implanted. All these procedures were performed inside a Faraday cage. The results showed power oscillations during the recording, with the highest energy level being between 300 and 600 s. Spike frequency, spike amplitude, interval between spikes and spike duration parameters underwent changes during the restraint stress period. Thus, the cardiac activity of M. flavolineata can be used as a biomarker and can be used to clarify physiological issues or alterations caused by toxic agents and indicate risk factors for these animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felipe Andrés León Contrera
- Laboratório de Biologia e Ecologia de Abelhas, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66075-110, PA, Brazil;
| | - Bárbara dos Santos Conceição Lopes
- Laboratório de Biologia e Ecologia de Abelhas, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66075-110, PA, Brazil;
| | - Clarissa Araújo da Paz
- Laboratório de Farmacologia e Toxicologia de Produtos Naturais, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66075-110, PA, Brazil; (C.A.d.P.); (M.K.O.H.); (M.F.d.S.); (G.B.B.); (A.L.G.d.A.); (L.H.B.d.P.)
| | - Maria Klara Otake Hamoy
- Laboratório de Farmacologia e Toxicologia de Produtos Naturais, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66075-110, PA, Brazil; (C.A.d.P.); (M.K.O.H.); (M.F.d.S.); (G.B.B.); (A.L.G.d.A.); (L.H.B.d.P.)
| | - Murilo Farias dos Santos
- Laboratório de Farmacologia e Toxicologia de Produtos Naturais, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66075-110, PA, Brazil; (C.A.d.P.); (M.K.O.H.); (M.F.d.S.); (G.B.B.); (A.L.G.d.A.); (L.H.B.d.P.)
| | - Gabriela Brito Barbosa
- Laboratório de Farmacologia e Toxicologia de Produtos Naturais, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66075-110, PA, Brazil; (C.A.d.P.); (M.K.O.H.); (M.F.d.S.); (G.B.B.); (A.L.G.d.A.); (L.H.B.d.P.)
| | - Anthony Lucas Gurgel do Amaral
- Laboratório de Farmacologia e Toxicologia de Produtos Naturais, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66075-110, PA, Brazil; (C.A.d.P.); (M.K.O.H.); (M.F.d.S.); (G.B.B.); (A.L.G.d.A.); (L.H.B.d.P.)
| | - Luiz Henrique Barbosa de Pinho
- Laboratório de Farmacologia e Toxicologia de Produtos Naturais, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66075-110, PA, Brazil; (C.A.d.P.); (M.K.O.H.); (M.F.d.S.); (G.B.B.); (A.L.G.d.A.); (L.H.B.d.P.)
| | - Moisés Hamoy
- Laboratório de Farmacologia e Toxicologia de Produtos Naturais, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém 66075-110, PA, Brazil; (C.A.d.P.); (M.K.O.H.); (M.F.d.S.); (G.B.B.); (A.L.G.d.A.); (L.H.B.d.P.)
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Cutler GC, Amichot M, Benelli G, Guedes RNC, Qu Y, Rix RR, Ullah F, Desneux N. Hormesis and insects: Effects and interactions in agroecosystems. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 825:153899. [PMID: 35181361 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Insects in agroecosystems contend with many stressors - e.g., chemicals, heat, nutrient deprivation - that are often encountered at low levels. Exposure to mild stress is now well known to induce hormetic (stimulatory) effects in insects, with implications for insect management, and ecological structure and function in agroecosystems. In this review, we examine the major ecological niches insects occupy or guilds to which they belong in agroecosystems and how hormesis can manifest within and across these groups. The mechanistic underpinnings of hormesis in insects are starting to become established, explaining the many phenotypic hormetic responses observed in insect reproduction, development, and behavior. Whereas potential effects on insect populations are well supported in laboratory experiments, field-based hypothesis-driven research on hormesis is greatly lacking. Furthermore, because most ecological paradigms are founded within the context of communities, entomological agroecologists interested in hormesis need to 'level up' and test hypotheses that explore effects on species interactions, and community structure and functioning. Embedded in this charge is to continue experimentation on herbivorous pest species while shifting more focus towards insect natural enemies, pollinators, and detritivores - guilds that play crucial roles in highly functioning agroecosystems that have been understudied in hormesis research. Important areas for future insect agroecology research on hormesis are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Christopher Cutler
- Department of Plant, Food, and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University, PO Box 550, Truro, NS B2N 5E3, Canada.
| | - Marcel Amichot
- Université Côte d'Azur, INRAE, CNRS, UMR ISA, 06000 Nice, France.
| | - Giovanni Benelli
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, via del Borghetto 80, 56124 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Raul Narciso C Guedes
- Departamento de Entomologia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG 36570-900, Brazil.
| | - Yanyan Qu
- Institute of Plant Protection, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Science, Beijing 100097, China.
| | - Rachel R Rix
- Department of Plant, Food, and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University, PO Box 550, Truro, NS B2N 5E3, Canada.
| | - Farman Ullah
- Department of Plant Biosecurity, College of Plant Protection, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
| | - Nicolas Desneux
- Université Côte d'Azur, INRAE, CNRS, UMR ISA, 06000 Nice, France.
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Agathokleous E. The hormetic response of heart rate of fish embryos to contaminants - Implications for research and policy. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 815:152911. [PMID: 34999064 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Evidence of contaminant-induced hormesis is rapidly accumulating, while the underlying mechanisms of hormesis are becoming increasingly understood. Recent developments in this research area, and especially the emergence of the nuclear factor-erythroid factor 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) as the master mechanism, suggest that contaminants can induce cardiac hormetic responses. This paper collates significant evidence of hormetic response of the heart rate of fish embryos to contaminants, in particular antibiotics, microplastics, and herbicides, characterized by a low-dose increase (tachycardia) and a high-dose decrease (bradycardia). The increase often occurs at doses about 100-800 times smaller than the no-observed-adverse-effect-level (NOAEL). There are also indications for even triphasic responses, which include a sub-hormetic decrease of the heart rate by doses over 106 times smaller than the NOAEL. Such sub-NOAEL effects cannot be captured by linear-no-threshold (LNT) and threshold models, raising concerns about environmental health and highlighting the pressing need to consider hormetic responses in the ecological risk assessment. A visionary way forward is proposed, but addressing this research bottleneck would require improved research designs with enhanced ability and statistical power to study diphasic and triphasic responses of heart rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgenios Agathokleous
- School of Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology (NUIST), 219 Ningliu Rd., Nanjing 210044, China.
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Kasiotis KM, Zafeiraki E, Kapaxidi E, Manea-Karga E, Antonatos S, Anastasiadou P, Milonas P, Machera K. Pesticides residues and metabolites in honeybees: A Greek overview exploring Varroa and Nosema potential synergies. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 769:145213. [PMID: 33736246 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2020] [Revised: 01/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate reported cases of honeybee mortality incidents and the potential association to pesticide exposure and to their metabolites. The same honeybee samples were also assessed for Varroa mites, and Nosema microsporidia provoked infections to provide an integrated picture of all observable stressors that may impact bees' survival. Thus, honeybee samples from different areas of Greece (2014-2018) were analyzed for the presence of pesticide residues and metabolites. In this context, an existing LC-ESI-QqQ-MS multiresidue method of analytes of different chemical classes such as neonicotinoids, organophosphates, triazoles, carbamates, was enriched with additional active substances, developed and validated. A complementary GC-EI-QqQ-MS method was also exploited for the same scope covering pyrethroid compounds. Both methods monitored more than 150 active substances and metabolites and presented acceptable linearity over the ranges assayed. The calculated recoveries ranged from 65 to 120% for the three concentration levels, while the precision (RSD%) values ranged between 4 and 15%. Therefore, this approach proved sufficient to act as a monitoring tool for the determination of pesticide residues in cases of suspected honeybee poisoning incidents. From the analysis of 320 samples, the presence of 70 active substances and metabolites was confirmed with concentrations varying from 1.4 ng/g to 166 μg/g. Predominant detections were the acaricide coumaphos, several neonicotinoids exemplified by clothianidin, organophosporous compounds dimethoate and chlorpyrifos, and some pyrethroids. Metabolites of imidacloprid, chlorpyrifos, coumaphos, acetamiprid, fenthion and amitraz were also identified. Concerning Nosema and Varroa they were identified in 27 and 22% of samples examined, respectively, verifying their prevalence and coexistence with pesticides and their metabolites in honeybees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos M Kasiotis
- Benaki Phytopathological Institute, Department of Pesticides Control and Phytopharmacy, Laboratory of Pesticides' Toxicology, 8 St. Delta Street, Kifissia, 14561 Athens, Greece.
| | - Effrosyni Zafeiraki
- Benaki Phytopathological Institute, Department of Pesticides Control and Phytopharmacy, Laboratory of Pesticides' Toxicology, 8 St. Delta Street, Kifissia, 14561 Athens, Greece
| | - Eleftheria Kapaxidi
- Benaki Phytopathological Institute, Department of Entomology & Agricultural Entomology, Laboratory of Acarology & Agricultural Zoology, Greece
| | - Elektra Manea-Karga
- Benaki Phytopathological Institute, Department of Pesticides Control and Phytopharmacy, Laboratory of Pesticides' Toxicology, 8 St. Delta Street, Kifissia, 14561 Athens, Greece
| | - Spyridon Antonatos
- Benaki Phytopathological Institute, Department of Entomology & Agricultural Entomology, Laboratory of Agricultural Entomology, Greece
| | - Pelagia Anastasiadou
- Benaki Phytopathological Institute, Department of Pesticides Control and Phytopharmacy, Laboratory of Pesticides' Toxicology, 8 St. Delta Street, Kifissia, 14561 Athens, Greece
| | - Panagiotis Milonas
- Benaki Phytopathological Institute, Department of Entomology & Agricultural Entomology, Biological Control Laboratory, Greece
| | - Kyriaki Machera
- Benaki Phytopathological Institute, Department of Pesticides Control and Phytopharmacy, Laboratory of Pesticides' Toxicology, 8 St. Delta Street, Kifissia, 14561 Athens, Greece.
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Kasiotis KM, Tzouganaki ZD, Machera K. Chromatographic determination of monoterpenes and other acaricides in honeybees: Prevalence and possible synergies. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 625:96-105. [PMID: 29289011 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.12.244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2017] [Revised: 12/19/2017] [Accepted: 12/21/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos M Kasiotis
- Benaki Phytopathological Institute, Department of Pesticides Control and Phytopharmacy, Laboratory of Pesticides' Toxicology, 8 St. Delta Street, Kifissia, 14561, Athens, Greece.
| | - Zampia D Tzouganaki
- Benaki Phytopathological Institute, Department of Pesticides Control and Phytopharmacy, Laboratory of Pesticides' Toxicology, 8 St. Delta Street, Kifissia, 14561, Athens, Greece
| | - Kyriaki Machera
- Benaki Phytopathological Institute, Department of Pesticides Control and Phytopharmacy, Laboratory of Pesticides' Toxicology, 8 St. Delta Street, Kifissia, 14561, Athens, Greece.
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O'Neal ST, Brewster CC, Bloomquist JR, Anderson TD. Amitraz and its metabolite modulate honey bee cardiac function and tolerance to viral infection. J Invertebr Pathol 2017; 149:119-126. [PMID: 28797906 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2017.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2017] [Revised: 07/28/2017] [Accepted: 08/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The health and survival of managed honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies are affected by multiple factors, one of the most important being the interaction between viral pathogens and infestations of the ectoparasitic mite Varroa destructor. Currently, the only effective strategy available for mitigating the impact of viral infections is the chemical control of mite populations. Unfortunately, the use of in-hive acaricides comes at a price, as they can produce sublethal effects that are difficult to quantify, but may ultimately be as damaging as the mites they are used to treat. The goal of this study was to investigate the physiological and immunological effects of the formamidine acaricide amitraz and its primary metabolite in honey bees. Using flock house virus as a model for viral infection, this study found that exposure to a formamidine acaricide may have a negative impact on the ability of honey bees to tolerate viral infection. Furthermore, this work has demonstrated that amitraz and its metabolite significantly alter honey bee cardiac function, most likely through interaction with octopamine receptors. The results suggest a potential drawback to the in-hive use of amitraz and raise intriguing questions about the relationship between insect cardiac function and disease tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott T O'Neal
- Department of Entomology, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA.
| | | | - Jeffrey R Bloomquist
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Troy D Anderson
- Department of Entomology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, USA
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Rix RR, Christopher Cutler G. Acute Exposure to Worst-Case Concentrations of Amitraz Does Not Affect Honey Bee Learning, Short-Term Memory, or Hemolymph Octopamine Levels. JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 2017; 110:127-132. [PMID: 28028168 DOI: 10.1093/jee/tow250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Amitraz, an acaricide used to treat Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman, is one of the most commonly detected pesticides in honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) hives. Acaricides sometimes negatively impact honey bee cognition, but potential effects of amitraz on honey bee learning have been rarely studied. We topically exposed foragers to 95th percentile field-relevant levels of amitraz and, 24 h later, tested the ability of bees to associate a sucrose reward with a conditioned odor (learning response) using the proboscis extension response (PER). We then tested the ability of the bees to retain this memory 1 h and 2 h post-conditioning. Because amitraz is thought to affect octopamine metabolism in honey bees, and because octopamine is directly related to honey bee learning and memory, we also examined effects of exposure to amitraz on octopamine levels in honey bee hemolymph. We found that acute exposure to 95th percentile doses of amitraz had no impact on honey bee learning or short-term memory as measured by PER. Concentrations of octopamine in hemolymph from our low amitraz treatment were 1.4-fold higher than control levels, but other treatments had no effect. Our results from worst-case acute exposure experiments with worker bees in the laboratory suggest that typical field-relevant (within hive) exposures to amitraz probably have little effect on honey bee learning and memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel R Rix
- Department of Plant, Food, and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University, Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - G Christopher Cutler
- Department of Plant, Food, and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University, Truro, Nova Scotia, Canada
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O'Neal ST, Anderson TD. Dissection and Observation of Honey Bee Dorsal Vessel for Studies of Cardiac Function. J Vis Exp 2016. [PMID: 28060305 DOI: 10.3791/55029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The European honey bee, Apis mellifera L., is a valuable agricultural and commercial resource noted for producing honey and providing crop pollination services, as well as an important model social insect used to study memory and learning, aging, and more. Here we describe a detailed protocol for the dissection of the dorsal abdominal wall of a bee in order to visualize its dorsal vessel, which serves the role of the heart in the insect. A successful dissection will expose a functional heart that, under the proper conditions, can maintain a steady heartbeat for an extended period of time. This allows the investigator to manipulate heart rate through the application of cardiomodulatory compounds to the dorsal vessel. By using either a digital microscope or a microscope equipped with a digital camera, the investigator can make video recordings of the dorsal vessel before and after treatment with test compounds. The videos can then be scored at a time convenient to the user in order to determine changes in heart rate, as well as changes in the pattern of heartbeats, following treatment. The advantages of this protocol are that it is relatively inexpensive to set up, easy to learn, requires little space or equipment, and takes very little time to conduct.
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Lima MAP, Martins GF, Oliveira EE, Guedes RNC. Agrochemical-induced stress in stingless bees: peculiarities, underlying basis, and challenges. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2016; 202:733-47. [DOI: 10.1007/s00359-016-1110-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2016] [Revised: 06/23/2016] [Accepted: 07/03/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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