First Characterization of The Venom from Apis mellifera syriaca, A Honeybee from The Middle East Region.

Jacinthe Frangieh,Christian Legros,Dany El Obeid,Yahya Salma,Cesar Mattei,Katia Haddad,Ziad Fajloun

doi:10.3390/toxins11040191

Abstract

Bee venom is a mixture of several components with proven therapeutic benefits, among which are anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and various cardiovascular conditions. In this work, we analyzed for the first time the proteomic content and biological properties of the crude venom from Apis mellifera syriaca, a honeybee from the Middle East region. Using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, we evidence the venom contains phospholipase A2, hyaluronidase, mast cell-degranulating peptide, adolapin, apamin, and melittin. The latter was purified by solid phase extraction method (SPE) and tested in parallel with crude venom for biological activities. Precisely, crude venom—but not melittin—exhibited antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains. Alongside, hemolytic activity was observed in human blood subjected to the venom at high doses. A. mellifera syriaca venom displayed antioxidant activities, and not surprisingly, PLA2 catalytic activity. Eventually, the venom proved to exert antiproliferative effects against MCF-7 and 3T3 cancer cells lines. This first report of a new bee venom opens new avenues for therapeutic uses of bee venoms.

Highlights

Bees use their venom as a defense tool against predators, intruders, and for colony defense [1].Bee venom (BV) is a complex mixture of peptidyl toxins, enzymes, and other trace components, with a wide spectrum of biological activities such as anti-microbial, anti-cancerous, and antioxidant activities [2,3]
Inflammatory diseases as rheumatism, and to relieve back. These medical claims have found such evidence in numerousarthritis, studies showing that the usepain of BVs is not restricted to found studies showing that thevarious use of BVs is not restricted aclaims singlehave therapeutic area,evidence but can in benumerous used for different conditions with pathophysiological to a single therapeutic area, can besystem, used for conditions with various pathophysiological substrates, including for the but nervous fordifferent immunity, or for the cardiovascular system [7]
Our work provides the first chemical and biological characterization of a new hymenoptera species

Summary

Introduction

Bee venom (BV) is a complex mixture of peptidyl toxins, enzymes, and other trace components, with a wide spectrum of biological activities such as anti-microbial, anti-cancerous, and antioxidant activities [2,3] It has been used as a therapeutic tool in oriental medicine to treat several human. Toxins 2019, 11, x FOR PEER REVIEW inflammatory diseases as rheumatism, and to relieve back [4,5,6] These medical claims have found such evidence in numerousarthritis, studies showing that the usepain of BVs is not restricted to found studies showing that thevarious use of BVs is not restricted aclaims singlehave therapeutic area,evidence but can in benumerous used for different conditions with pathophysiological to a single therapeutic area, can besystem, used for conditions with various pathophysiological substrates, including for the but nervous fordifferent immunity, or for the cardiovascular system [7]. Activity one of the BVphospholipid components, components, triggers the toxicity of volatile the venom

Methods

Results

Conclusion