ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Exposure of honeybees to pesticide residue levels can lead to adverse molecular effects on oxidative stress-related biomarkers
1
Department of Plant Protection, Damanhour University, Damanhour, El-Behiera PO Box 22516, Egypt
2
Plant Pathology Department, Division of Genetics, Damanhour University, Damanhour, El-Behiera PO Box 22516, Egypt
3
Plant Protection and Biomolecular Diagnosis, City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA-City), Arid Lands Cultivation Research Institute, Alexandria, Egypt
4
Mammalian & Aquatic Toxicology Department, Agricultural Research Center (ARC),
Central Agricultural Pesticides Laboratory, Giza, Egypt
A - Research concept and design; B - Collection and/or assembly of data; C - Data analysis and interpretation; D - Writing the article; E - Critical revision of the article; F - Final approval of article
Submission date: 2025-06-10
Acceptance date: 2025-08-26
Online publication date: 2026-08-28
Corresponding author
Hossam F. Abou-Shaara
Department of Plant Protection, Damanhour University, Damanhour, El-Behiera PO Box 22516, Egypt
Department of Plant Protection, Damanhour University, Damanhour, El-Behiera PO Box 22516, Egypt
HIGHLIGHTS
- Chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin, and pendimethalin showed up-regulation of tested genes
- Fludioxonil and tolcophos had similar gene expression results to the control group
- Pesticide residues demonstrated varied specific activities of tested enzymes
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Pesticides pose a significant challenge to non-target organisms, particularly honeybees
(Apis mellifera Linnaeus, 1758). Worker honeybees encounter pesticide residues during
foraging in both open fields and hives, and these residues have been identified in bee products.
However, the effects of these pesticides on bees at detected concentrations are not
well understood. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the potential impacts of pesticide
residues, including seven fungicides, six insecticides, and three herbicides, on gene expression
and the activities of enzymes related to oxidative stress in worker bees. The following
enzymes were included in the study: glucose oxidase, cytochrome P-450, acetylcholinesterase,
general esterases, glutathione-S-transferase, butyrylcholinesterase, catalase, and adenosine
triphosphatase. The results showed that chlorpyrifos (15.30 ng · ml–1), cypermethrin
(10.72 ng · ml–1), and pendimethalin (3.42 ng · ml–1) significantly affected gene expression
and the activities of the tested enzymes, while the control group and other pesticides did
not. Untreated bees had higher specific enzyme activity and gene expression compared
to most of the pesticides tested. Results from fludioxonil (14.45 ng · ml–1) and tolclofosmethyl
(18.14 ng · ml–1) closely resembled those of the control group, indicating that these
fungicides, at the tested concentrations, may not pose a threat to bee health. This research
offers valuable insights into the potential negative effects of pesticide residues on the physiological
balance of bees.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This work is a part of the research project entitled:
Pesticides and the future of food security in Egypt:
bee products from newly reclaimed lands as a model
(Project No. 30025) funded by the Science, Technology
& Innovation Funding Authority (STDF), Egypt, considering
the first author as the PI and the last author as
the CO-PI. So, we would like to thank STDF for funding
this research.
FUNDING
Project No. 30025 was funded by the Science, Technology
& Innovation Funding Authority (STDF), Egypt.
RESPONSIBLE EDITOR
Anna Tratwal
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The authors have declared that no conflict of interests exist.
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