Clodronate liposomes untangle the role of hemocytes in <i>Apis mellifera</i> response to temperature variation and microbial infection.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

The cellular immune response, mediated by hemocytes, is a fundamental component of honey bee (Apis mellifera) health. However, the specific contribution of hemocyte subtypes to resilience against combined stressors remains poorly characterized. This study investigated the effect of temperature and bacterial challenge on hemocyte abundance. We employed clodronate liposomes (CLD) for the first time in honey bees as a novel tool for the selective depletion of hemocytes to investigate this gap.

Methods

Five-day-old (nurses) and fifteen-day-old (foragers) honey bees were treated with CLD, control liposomes, PBS, or left untreated, then exposed at either 32°C or 22°C and challenged with the gram-negative bacterium, Escherichia coli, or the gram-positive

SUBMITTER: Oeth M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12485940 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature