Chronic Effects of Imidacloprid on Honey Bee Worker Development-Molecular Pathway Perspectives.

Yun-Ru Chen,David T W Tzeng,En-Cheng Yang

doi:10.3390/ijms222111835

Yun-Ru Chen, David T W Tzeng + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms222111835

Copy DOI

Abstract

Sublethal dosages of imidacloprid cause long-term destructive effects on honey bees at the individual and colony levels. In this review, the molecular effects of sublethal imidacloprid were integrated and reported. Several general effects have been observed among different reports using different approaches. Quantitative PCR approaches revealed that imidacloprid treatments during the adult stage are expressed as changes in immuneresponse, detoxification, and oxidation-reduction response in both workers and queens. In addition, transcriptomic approaches suggested that phototransduction, behavior, and somatic muscle development also were affected. Although worker larvae show a higher tolerance to imidacloprid than adults, molecular evidence reveals its potential impacts. Sublethal imidacloprid treatment during the larval stage causes gene expression changes in larvae, pupae, and adults. Transcriptome profiles suggest that the population and functions of affected differentially expressed genes, DEGs, vary among different worker ages. Furthermore, an early transcriptomic switch from nurse bees to foragers was observed, suggesting that precocious foraging activity may occur. This report comprehensively describes the molecular effects of sublethal dosages of imidacloprid on the honey bee Apis mellifera. The corresponding molecular pathways for physiological and neurological responses in imidacloprid-exposed honey bees were validated. Transcriptomic evidence suggests a global and sustained sublethal impact of imidacloprid on honey bee development.

Highlights

Neonicotinoids, known as neonics, are a class of neuroactive pesticides derived from nicotine [1,2]
As a class of neuroactive pesticides, neonicotinoids act on the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, permanently bind to nerve cells, block neurotransmission, and cause nerve overstimulation
They are one of the most commonly used pesticides, increasing scientific evidence suggests that environmental residue levels of neonicotinoids cause long-term negative impacts on human-maintained honey bee colonies and wild bees around the world [8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15]

Summary

Introduction

Neonicotinoids, known as neonics, are a class of neuroactive pesticides derived from nicotine [1,2]. Neonics can be applied to seed coatings to prevent storage pests or soil applications to control plant-sucking insects such as aphids and scale insects [3] They are one of the most commonly used pesticides, increasing scientific evidence suggests that environmental residue levels of neonicotinoids cause long-term negative impacts on human-maintained honey bee colonies and wild bees around the world [8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15]. NA 104 (83.0–130) 61.0 (26.0–90.0) 50.0 (9.1–71.0) 42.0 (20.0–59.0) 42.9 (34.6–53.2) 74.9 (61.8–90.9)

26 NA 1400

The Affected Molecular Pathways at Different Ages of Honey Bee Workers

The Molecular Effect of Imidacloprid on Other Pollinators

Findings

Conclusions