College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, People's Republic of China.
College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong 271018, People's Republic of China.
Sci Total Environ. 2024 Nov 20;952:175931. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.175931. Epub 2024 Aug 30.
Monocrotaline (MCT) is a toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloid found in plants of the Crotalaria genus. As primary pollinators of Crotalaria plants, honeybees come into contact with this harmful substance. However, limited research has been conducted on the effects of MCT on Apis mellifera, particularly the risks of long-term exposure to sublethal concentrations. Through evaluating the proboscis extension reflex (PER) ability, analyzing the honeybee brain transcriptome, and analyzing the honeybee hemolymph metabolome, we discovered that sublethal concentrations of MCT impair the olfactory and memory capabilities of honeybees by affecting tryptophan (Trp) metabolism. Furthermore, MCT upregulates the expression of the corazonin receptor (CrzR) gene in the honeybee brain, which elevates reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in the brain while reducing glucose levels in the hemolymph, consequently shortening the honeybees' lifespan. Our findings regarding the multifaceted impact of MCT on honeybees lay the foundation for exploring its toxicological pathways and management in honeybee populations.
野百合碱（MCT）是一种存在于金雀花属植物中的有毒吡咯里西啶生物碱。作为金雀花植物的主要传粉媒介，蜜蜂会接触到这种有害物质。然而，目前针对 MCT 对蜜蜂（Apis mellifera）的影响，特别是对亚致死浓度长期暴露的风险的研究还很有限。通过评估触角延伸反射（PER）能力、分析蜜蜂大脑转录组和分析蜜蜂血淋巴代谢组，我们发现亚致死浓度的 MCT 通过影响色氨酸（Trp）代谢来损害蜜蜂的嗅觉和记忆能力。此外，MCT 上调了蜜蜂大脑中 corazonin 受体（CrzR）基因的表达，这会导致大脑中活性氧（ROS）水平升高，同时降低血淋巴中的葡萄糖水平，从而缩短蜜蜂的寿命。我们关于 MCT 对蜜蜂多方面影响的研究结果为探索其在蜜蜂种群中的毒理学途径和管理奠定了基础。
