《环境昆虫学报》

5-羟甲基糠醛（HMF）是一种糖类物质加热变性后极易产生的物质，是特定糖类的降解产物，在蜂群饲养过程中若不规范操作则可能从蜜蜂饲料中产生这种物质。尽管其对哺乳动物的毒理效应已有明确研究，但关于HMF对蜜蜂神经毒性的探索仍十分有限，尤其在学习认知影响方面存在研究空白。本研究通过饲喂意大利蜜蜂Apis mellifera ligustica工蜂一定浓度的HMF并进行气味联想性学习测试受试蜜蜂的学习认知能力，目的在于探究HMF对蜜蜂的学习认知能力是否产生影响并在分子水平上进行验证，为此后实际养蜂生产和蜂群饲养管理中的HMF暴露提供风险评估。本试验从蜂群中抓取6日龄意大利蜜蜂并于恒温恒湿环境下笼养10 d。期间处理组工蜂自由取食含1 500 ng/μL HMF的30%（w/v）蔗糖溶液，对照组则自由取食30%蔗糖溶液。随后使用气味学习装置对16日龄工蜂进行伸吻反应（Proboscis extension response，PER）测试，并通过qRT-PCR对蜜蜂头部学习相关基因表达量进行差异分析。试验结果表明，处理组与对照组蜜蜂在10 d用药饲养过程中死亡率无显著差异（P>0.05）。PER结果则表明处理组蜜蜂伸吻率明显低于对照组，且差异显著（P<0.05）。处理组相较于对照组蜜蜂头部学习相关基因TpnC Ⅲa，OPN4，Obp 4和PRKACB显著下调表达；pkc则显著上调表达。本研究结果表明，1 500 ng/μL HMF不会导致蜜蜂急性死亡，而蜜蜂学习能力会显著降低，同时影响蜜蜂头部学习相关基因的表达。

英文摘要:

Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is a carbohydrate substance easily produced through heating and denaturation. It emerges as a degradation product of specific sugars that might arise from bee feed if beekeeping processes lack standardization. While the toxicological impacts of Hydroxymethylfurfural on mammals are well-documented, studies on its neurotoxic effects in honey bees are still limited, particularly with respect to its potential impact on learning and cognitive function. In this study, we investigated whether HMF affects learning and cognition in Apis mellifera ligustica worker bees by administering a defined concentration of HMF and assessing associative learning ability using an olfactory conditioning paradigm. We further examined the molecular basis of any observed effects to provide a scientific basis for risk assessment related to HMF exposure in practical beekeeping and colony management. Six-day-old worker bees were collected from colonies and reared in cages under controlled temperature and humidity conditions for 10 days. During this period, the treatment group was allowed ad libitum access to a 30% (w/v) sucrose solution containing 1,500 ng/μL HMF, while the control group received a 30% sucrose solution without HMF. On day 16, the proboscis extension response (PER) assay was used to assess olfactory associative learning. Additionally, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was conducted to evaluate differential expression of learning-related genes in the bee head. There was no significant difference in mortality between the treatment group and the control group during the 10-day feeding period (P>0.05). The PER experiment results revealed that the proboscis extension rate of the treatment group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P < 0.05). In comparison with the control group, the expression of head learning-related genes TpnC Ⅲa, OPN4, Obp 4 and PRKACB in the treatment group was significantly down-regulated, while pkc was significantly up-regulated. These findings indicate that HMF at 1,500 ng/μL does not induce acute mortality in honey bees but significantly impairs their learning performance and alters the expression of key genes associated with cognitive function.

查看全文查看/发表评论下载PDF阅读器

关闭