Barros YVR et al. (2024) Anticancer Agents Med Chem "Bee Venom Toxic Effect on MDA-MB-231 Breast Cancer Cells and Caenorhabditis Elegans."

Gubert P, da Silva LPD, Nogueira MCBL, Barros YVR, Moura AV, Porcari AM, Alves LC, Bezerra IC, Mousinho KC, Pedroza LAL, Rosini Silva AA, de Andrade AO, Antoniolli AR, Lima Filho JL, Cavalcanti IDL

[Anticancer Agents Med Chem, 2024]

INTRODUCTION: Bee venom has therapeutics and pharmacological properties. Further toxicological studies on animal models are necessary due to the severe allergic reactions caused by this product. METHOD: Here, Caenorhabditis elegans was used as an in vivo toxicity model, while breast cancer cells were used to evaluate the pharmacological benefits. The bee venom utilized in this research was collected from Apis mellifera species found in Northeast Brazil. The cytotoxicity caused by bee venom was measured by MTT assay on MDA-MB-231 and J774 A.1 cells during 24 - 72 hours of exposure. C. elegans at the L4 larval stage were exposed for three hours to M9 buffer or bee venom. Survival, behavioral parameters, reproduction, DAF-16 transcription factor translocation, the expression of superoxide dismutase (SOD), and metabolomics were analyzed. Bee venom suppressed the growth of MDA-MB-231 cancer cells and exhibited cytotoxic effects on macrophages. Also, decreased C. elegans survival impacted its behaviors by decreasing C. elegans feeding behavior, movement, and reproduction. RESULTS: Bee venom did not increase the expression of SOD-3, but it enhanced DAF-16 translocation from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. C. elegans metabolites differed after bee venom exposure, primarily related to aminoacyl- tRNA biosynthesis, glycine, serine and threonine metabolism, and sphingolipid and purine metabolic pathways. Our findings indicate that exposure to bee venom resulted in harmful effects on the cells and animal models examined. CONCLUSION: Thus, due to its potential toxic effect and induction of allergic reactions, using bee venom as a therapeutic approach has been limited. The development of controlled-release drug strategies to improve this natural product's efficacy and safety should be intensified.

McAfee A et al. (2015) Data Brief ""Controlled, cross-species dataset for exploring biases in genome annotation and modification profiles"."

Foster LJ, Michaud S, McAfee A

[Data Brief, 2015]

Since the sequencing of the honey bee genome, proteomics by mass spectrometry has become increasingly popular for biological analyses of this insect; but we have observed that the number of honey bee protein identifications is consistently low compared to other organisms [1]. In this dataset, we use nanoelectrospray ionization-coupled liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (nLC-MS/MS) to systematically investigate the root cause of low honey bee proteome coverage. To this end, we present here data from three key experiments: a controlled, cross-species analyses of samples from Apis mellifera, Drosophila melanogaster, Caenorhabditis elegans, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Mus musculus and Homo sapiens; a proteomic analysis of an individual honey bee whose genome was also sequenced; and a cross-tissue honey bee proteome comparison. The cross-species dataset was interrogated to determine relative proteome coverages between species, and the other two datasets were used to search for polymorphic sequences and to compare protein cleavage profiles, respectively.

Munch D et al. (2008) Funct Ecol "Ageing in a eusocial insect: molecular and physiological characteristics of life span plasticity in the honey bee."

Wolschin F, Amdam GV, Munch D

[Funct Ecol, 2008]

Commonly held views assume that ageing, or senescence, represents an inevitable, passive, and random decline in function that is strongly linked to chronological age. In recent years, genetic intervention of life span regulating pathways, for example, in Drosophila as well as case studies in non-classical animal models, have provided compelling evidence to challenge these views.Rather than comprehensively revisiting studies on the established genetic model systems of ageing, we here focus on an alternative model organism with a wild type (unselected genotype) characterized by a unique diversity in longevity - the honey bee.Honey bee (Apis mellifera) life span varies from a few weeks to more than 2 years. This plasticity is largely controlled by environmental factors. Thereby, although individuals are closely related genetically, distinct life histories can emerge as a function of social environmental change.Another remarkable feature of the honey bee is the occurrence of reverted behavioural ontogeny in the worker (female helper) caste. This behavioural peculiarity is associated with alterations in somatic maintenance functions that are indicative of reverted senescence. Thus, although intraspecific variation in organismal life span is not uncommon, the honey bee holds great promise for gaining insights into regulatory pathways that can shape the time-course of ageing by delaying, halting or even reversing processes of senescence. These aspects provide the setting of our review.We will highlight comparative findings from Drosophila melanogaster and Caenorhabditis elegans in particular, and focus on knowledge spanning from molecular- to behavioural-senescence to elucidate how the honey bee can contribute to novel insights into regulatory mechanisms that underlie plasticity and robustness or irreversibility in ageing.

Zain MM et al. (2016) Trop Life Sci Res "The Effect of Macrocyclic Lactones-Ivermectin Exposure on Egg Hatching and Larval Development of Caenorhabditis elegans."

Zain MM, Him NA, Yahaya ZS

[Trop Life Sci Res, 2016]

To date, the ivermectin resistance in nematode parasites has been reported and many studies are carried out to determine the causes of this problem. A free-living Caenorhabditis elegans is used as a model system for this study to investigate the response of C. elegans to ivermectin exposure by using larval development assay. Worms were exposed to ivermectin at concentration from 1 ng/mL to 10 ng/mL and dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) as a control. The developments of the worms were monitored for 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours until the worms become adults. Results indicated that worms' growth began to be affected by ivermectin at a concentration of 5 ng/mL, while at the concentration of 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 ng/mL, the growth of worms were inhibited compared to control worms. Further study of the protein expression in C. elegans should be done to investigate the up-regulated and down-regulated proteins involve in ivermectin resistance.

Hussain R et al. (1981) J Immunol "IgE responses in human filariasis. I. Quantitation of filaria-specific IgE."

Ottesen EA, Hussain R, Hamilton RG, Adkinson NF, Kumaraswami V

[J Immunol, 1981]

We have developed a noncompetitive solid phase radioimmunoassay to quantitate human IgE antibodies against soluble adult antigens of Brugia malayi (B.m.), a filarial parasite, in sera of patients with various forms of clinical filariasis in Madras, India. A single reference serum was shown to contain 23 micrograms/ml of B.m.-specific IgE by depletion analysis and was used as a standard serum throughout the study. The levels of specific IgE ranged in the patients sera from 2 to 23,000 ng/ml. When these individuals were divided into clinical groups, the individuals with tropical pulmonary eosinophilia had the highest levels (mean = 8630 ng/ml) and were significantly higher than all the other groups (p less than 0.001). The lowest levels were seen in patients with circulating microfilariae (mean = 30.5 ng/ml). Patients exhibiting lymphatic obstruction (i.e., chronic pathology group) had levels slightly higher than microfilaremics (mean = 68 ng/ml) but were not significantly different (p less than 0.1). Surprisingly, individuals living in endemic areas but who had no clinical signs of filariasis also showed appreciable levels of B.m.-specific IgE (mean = 55 ng/ml). The B.m.-specific IgE represented 0.1 to 48% of the total IgE. High percentages of specific IgE may be responsible for evoking allergic symptomatology in patients with tropical pulmonary eosinophilia.

Haldimann P et al. (2011) J Biol Chem "The novel hydroxylamine derivative NG-094 suppresses polyglutamine protein toxicity in Caenorhabditis elegans."

Goloubinoff P, Muriset M, Vigh L, Haldimann P

[J Biol Chem, 2011]

Aggregation-prone polyglutamine (polyQ) expansion proteins cause several neurodegenerative disorders, including Huntington disease. The pharmacological activation of cellular stress responses could be a new strategy to combat protein conformational diseases. Hydroxylamine derivatives act as co-inducers of heat-shock proteins (HSPs) and can enhance HSP expression in diseased cells, without significant adverse effects. Here, we used Caenorhabditis elegans expressing polyQ expansions with 35 glutamines fused to the yellow fluorescent protein (Q35-YFP) in body wall muscle cells as a model system to investigate the effects of treatment with a novel hydroxylamine derivative, NG-094, on the progression of polyQ diseases. NG-094 significantly ameliorated polyQ-mediated animal paralysis, reduced the number of Q35-YFP aggregates and delayed polyQ-dependent acceleration of aging. Micromolar concentrations of NG-094 in animal tissues with only marginal effects on the nematode fitness sufficed to confer protection against polyQ proteotoxicity, even when the drug was administered after disease onset. NG-094 did not reduce insulin/insulin-like growth factor 1-like signaling, but conferred cytoprotection by a mechanism involving the heat-shock transcription factor HSF-1 that potentiated the expression of stress-inducible HSPs. NG-094 is thus a promising candidate for tests on mammalian models of polyQ and other protein conformational diseases.

Lobos E et al. (2003) Infect Immun "Elevated immunoglobulin E against recombinant Brugia malayi gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase in patients with bancroftian filariasis: association with tropical pulmonary eosinophilia or putative immunity."

Nutman TB, Hothersall JS, Moncada S, Lobos E

[Infect Immun, 2003]

A major allergen of the lymphatic filarial nematode Brugia malayi, a homologue of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma-GT), is involved in the pathology of tropical pulmonary eosinophilia (TPE) through its potent allergenicity and the induction of antibodies against the host pulmonary epithelium. To investigate the immunoglobulin G (IgG) subclass and IgE responses to recombinant B. malayi gamma-GT, we analyzed the results obtained from 51 patients with differing clinical manifestations of bancroftian filariasis. gamma-GT-specific IgG1, rather than IgG4, was the predominant IgG subclass, particularly in patients with TPE (geomean, 6,321 ng/ml; range, 78 to 354,867 ng/ml) and was 75 times higher than in patients with elephantiasis (CP) (P < 0.003) and 185 times higher than in endemic normal individuals (ENL) (P < 0.010). IgG2 responses were low and IgG3 was almost absent, with no significant differences among the groups. gamma-GT-specific IgG4 responses were significantly elevated in those with subclinical microfilaremia (MF) compared to the CP and ENL groups and correlated with the presence of circulating filarial antigen (CAg). More significantly, gamma-GT-specific IgE antibody levels were strikingly elevated in patients with TPE (geomean, 681 ng/ml; range, 61 to 23,841 ng/ml) and in the ENL group (geomean, 106 ng/ml; range, 13 to 1,405 ng/ml) whereas the gamma-GT-specific IgE level was 44 and 61 times lower in those with MF and CP, respectively (P < 0.001). Elevated gamma-GT-specific IgE/IgG4 ratios were demonstrated in patients with TPE (ratio, 45) and ENL (ratio, 107). Because expression of gamma-GT in Brugia infective third-stage larvae (L3) was demonstrated by immunoblot analysis, the elevated gamma-GT-specific IgE antibodies appear to be associated not only with pulmonary pathology but also with possible resistance to infection in lymphatic filariasis.

Merris M et al. (2003) J Lipid Res "Sterol effects and sites of sterol accumulation in Caenorhabditis elegans: developmental requirement for 4alpha-methyl sterols."

Khamrai U, Merris M, Chitwood DJ, Lenard J, Bittman R, Wadsworth WG

[J Lipid Res, 2003]

Caenorhabditis elegans requires sterol, usually supplied as cholesterol, but this is enzymatically modified, and different sterols can substitute. Sterol deprivation decreased brood size and adult growth in the first generation, and completely, reversibly, arrested growth as larvae in the second. After one generation of sterol deprivation, 10 ng/ml cholesterol allowed delayed laying of a few eggs, but full growth required 300 ng/ml. C. elegans synthesizes two unusual 4alpha-methyl sterols (4MSs), but each 4MS supported only limited growth as the sole sterol. However, addition of only 10 ng of cholesterol to 1,000 ng of 4MS restored full growth and egg-laying, suggesting that both a 4MS and an unmethylated sterol are required for development. Filipin stained sterols in only a few specific cells: the excretory gland cell, two amphid socket cells, two phasmid socket cells and, in males, spicule socket cells. Sterols were also present in the pharynx and in the intestine of feeding animals in a proximal-to-distal gradient. This non-random sterol distribution, the low concentration requirements, and the effects of 4MSs argues that sterols are unlikely to be used for bulk structural modification of cell membranes, but may be required as hormone precursors and/or developmental effectors.

Pertel R et al. (1974) Comp Gen Pharmacol "Histamine content of the nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans."

Pertel R, Wilson SH

[Comp Gen Pharmacol, 1974]

1. The histamine contect in axenically grown nematodes was found to be 350 ng. per g. wet weight. 2. Histamine content was determined in extracts from the free-living nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans var. Bristol (strain B1-Pl) by an isotope dilution procedure which obviated error encountered in a conventional fluorescence assay. 3. This is the first report of histamine in the Nematoda.

Shu EN et al. (2000) Acta Trop "Ivermectin: concentration-dependent effects on adenosine triphosphatases in adult worms of Onchocerca volvulus."

Okonkwo PO, Onyeanusi J, Shu EN, Batey WO

[Acta Trop, 2000]

The effect of increasing concentrations of ivermectin on adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity was investigated in adult worms of Onchocerca volvulus. Mean Mg- and Na,K-ATPase activities decreased significantly (F ratio = 29.82, P &lt; 0.01 and F ratio = 28.54, P &lt; 0.01, respectively) with increasing concentrations of ivermectin (0-100 ng/ml) in the female worms. When male and female worms were mixed with equal amounts of proteins from each, only the Na,K-ATPase activity was significantly decreased (F ratio = 56.61, P &lt; 0.01) over a similar range of ivermectin concentrations. Since ivermectin exhibits concentration-dependent effects on both ATPases in female adult worms, this might provide an insight into other effects of the drug. However, the adjustment of the dose of ivermectin to obtain a nodular concentration of at least 40 ng/ml is therefore recommended in the complete chemotherapy of onchocerciasis.