Abstract
The biological concept of stress originated in mammals, where a “General Adaptation Syndrome” describes a set of common integrated physiological responses to diverse noxious agents. Physiological mechanisms of stress in mammals have been extensively investigated through diverse behavioral and physiological studies. One of the main elements of the stress response pathway is the endocrine hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which underlies the “fight-or-flight” response via a hormonal cascade of catecholamines and corticoid hormones. Physiological responses to stress have been studied more recently in insects: they involve biogenic amines (octopamine, dopamine), neuropeptides (allatostatin, corazonin) and metabolic hormones (adipokinetic hormone, diuretic hormone). Here, we review elements of the physiological stress response that are or may be specific to honey bees, given the economical and ecological impact of this species. This review proposes a hypothetical integrated honey bee stress pathway somewhat analogous to the mammalian HPA, involving the brain and, particularly, the neurohemal organ corpora cardiaca and peripheral targets, including energy storage organs (fat body and crop). We discuss how this system can organize rapid coordinated changes in metabolic activity and arousal, in response to adverse environmental stimuli. We highlight physiological elements of the general stress responses that are specific to honey bees, and the areas in which we lack information to stimulate more research into how this fascinating and vital insect responds to stress.
Highlights
It should be kept in mind that many proteins or genes of unknown function may be affected by stressors; we will only focus on a few of them, for which sequence homologies and/or functional data suggest a potential role in a physiological stress response
As soon as the stressor is detected via appropriate receptors, our model proposes that there will be release of octopamine and dopamine within the brain, increasing arousal [49]
It provides a framework to facilitate our understanding of how honey bees can respond to stressors, and is aimed at stimulating research to improve our knowledge of the physiological pathways involved
Summary
The term stress originated in physics to describe pressure and deformation in a system, but it has been adopted into a biological context through the work of Hans Selye [1±3]. He recognized in PDPPDOV DV D 3JHQHUDO DGDSWDWLRQ V\QGURPH, ́ D VLPLODU VXLWH RI FRRUGLQDWHG UHDFWLRQV WR GLYHUVH. QR[LRXV VWLPXOLRU3DJHQWV [4]6HO\H¶VFRQFHSWZDVDWILUVWFULWLFL]HG E\SK\VLRORJLVWVDV YDJXHDQG immeasurable, but he subsequently clarified his concept defining several stress response elements, principally the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis system. Stress is recognized as a valid physiological concept, which allows organisms to respond to adverse environmental pressures [5]
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