Effects of Sublethal Dose of Fipronil on Neuron Metabolic Activity of Africanized Honeybees

Autor(es)

Roat, Thaisa Cristina ^[1] ; Carvalho, Stephan M. ^[1] ; Nocelli, Roberta C. F. ^[2] ; Silva-Zacarin, Elaine C. M. ^[3] ; Palma, Mario Sergio ^[1] ; Malaspina, Osmar ^[1]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] UNESP Univ Estadual Paulista, Dept Biol, Ctr Estudos Insetos Sociais, BR-13506900 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] UFSCar Univ Fed Sao Carlos, Ctr Ciencias Agr, BR-13600970 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] UFSCar Univ Fed Sao Carlos, Lab Biol Estrutural & Func, BR-18052780 Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology; v. 64, n. 3, p. 456-466, APR 2013.
• Citações Web of Science: 24

Resumo

Fipronil is a neurotoxic insecticide that inhibits the gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor and can affect gustative perception, olfactory learning, and motor activity of the honeybee Apis mellifera. This study determined the lethal dose (LD50) and the lethal concentration (LC50) for Africanized honeybee and evaluated the toxicity of a sublethal dose of fipronil on neuron metabolic activity by way of histochemical analysis using cytochrome oxidase detection in brains from worker bees of different ages. In addition, the present study investigated the recovery mechanism by discontinuing the oral exposure to fipronil. The results showed that mushroom bodies of aged Africanized honeybees are affected by fipronil, which causes changes in metabolism by increasing the respiratory activity of mitochondria. In antennal lobes, the sublethal dose of fipronil did not cause an increase in metabolic activity. The recovery experiments showed that discontinued exposure to a diet contaminated with fipronil did not lead to recovery of neural activity. Our results show that even at very low concentrations, fipronil is harmful to honeybees and can induce several types of injuries to honeybee physiology. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 08/05018-7 - Efeitos toxicológicos do inseticida fipronil em operárias e rainhas de Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae): atividade neural e proteínas de desintoxicação
• Beneficiário: Thaisa Cristina Roat
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Pós-Doutorado