Physiological and Immunological Status of Adult Honeybees (Apis mellifera) Fed Sugar Syrup Supplemented with Pentadecapeptide BPC 157

Abstract

Various factors contribute to a decline in diversity and number of bees. Here, an integrated approach in experimental BPC 157 therapy was implemented, combining laboratory-controlled and field study results. The aim of a study was to assess the effects of BPC 157 additional feeding of newly emerged worker honeybees on few biochemical and immunological parameters in hemolymph (glucose, trehalose, lipids, proteins, vitellogenin, glucose-oxidase (GOX)), and hypopharyngeal gland (HPG), in laboratory-controlled conditions. Additionally, to examine the physiological status of protein digestion, the enzymatic activity of leucine aminopeptidase (LAP) in the mid-guts of worker honeybees was analyzed. It was found that individual honeybees, in hoarding cages, following BPC 157 administration through carbohydrate food, showed positive physiological changes when compared to the control groups. Those results were complemented by strong and visible LAP activity, particularly noticeable in the apical parts of the epithelial cells in the mid-guts of young worker honeybees originated from treated hives, suggesting a link between alternative oral therapy with BPC 157 and honeybees’ immunity.

Stable Gastric Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 and Striated, Smooth, and Heart Muscle

“…Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 efficiently reduces radiation-induced liver injury and lipid accumulation through Kruppel-like factor 4 upregulation both in vivo and in vitro [ 65 ]. Similar effects and roles have also been noted in other species (i.e., birds [ 168 ], and insects, such as honeybees [ 169 , 170 ]).…”

Stable Gastric Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 May Counteract Myocardial Infarction Induced by Isoprenaline in Rats

“…On the other hand, BPC 157 was proved to be efficacious in the ulcerative colitis, both in clinical settings [ 71 , 72 ] as well as in experimental rat model ischemic/reperfusion vascular ulcerative colitis studies [ 34 ]. Furthermore, it has been shown to be efficacious in other ulcerative colitis models, including models induced by TNBS, cysteamine, surgery, NSAIDs [ 73 , 74 , 75 , 76 , 77 , 78 , 79 , 80 ] or major vessel occlusion [ 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ]; these studies have included various species [ 81 , 82 ], and complications (for review see, i.e., [ 83 ]). A particular point for revealing and applying the concept of the counteraction of the isoprenaline-induced myocardial infarction in practice may be BPC 157′s beneficial effect on a larger range of arrhythmias in addition to vessel occlusion-induced arrhythmias [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ] (i.e., digitalis [ 8 ]-, neuroleptics [ 9 ]-, succinylcholine [ 7 ]-, potassium over-dose [ 6 ]-, lithium over-dose [ 22 ]-, bupivacaine [ 10 ]-, and lidocaine [ 11 ]- induced arrhythmias).…”

Glucosinolate Bioactivation by Apis mellifera Workers and Its Impact on Nosema ceranae Infection at the Colony Level

“…Nevertheless, the interaction of gut microbiota and microsporidia is still not completely understood, and further research is needed to clarify probiotic mechanisms of action [ 16 ]. Among the fumagillin alternatives, dietary supplements based on vitamins, plant extracts and phytochemicals appeared to be promising in the control of nosemosis in several studies [ 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ]. In this context, natural products deriving from plants of the Brassicaceae family have been intensively studied for their antimicrobial properties and health benefits in animals and humans.…”