Towards Precision Nutrition: A Novel Concept Linking Phytochemicals, Immune Response and Honey Bee Health

NEGRI, P.; VILLALOBOS, E.; SZARWASKI NICOLAS; DAMIANI, N.; GENDE L. B.; GARRIDO P. M.; MAGGI, M.; QUINTANA, S.; LAMATTINA, L.; EGUARAS, M

Insects

MDPI

Año: 2019

2075-4450

The high annual losses of managed honey bees (Apis mellifera) has attracted intensiveattention, and scientists have dedicated much eort trying to identify the stresses aecting bees.There are, however, no simple answers; rather, research suggests multifactorial eects. Several workshave been reported highlighting the relationship between bees? immunosuppression and the eects ofmalnutrition, parasites, pathogens, agrochemical and beekeeping pesticides exposure, forage dearthand cold stress. Here we analyze a possible connection between immunity-related signaling pathwaysthat could be involved in the response to the stress resulted from Varroa-virus association and coldstress during winter. The analysis was made understanding the honey bee as a superorganism, whereindividuals are integrated and interacting within the colony, going from social to individual immuneresponses. We propose the term ?Precision Nutrition? as a way to think and study bees? nutrition inthe search for key molecules which would be able to strengthen colonies? responses to any or all ofthose stresses combined.