title: Alarm pheromone induces stress analgesia via an opioid system in the honeybee.
abstract: Changes of the stinging response threshold of Apis mellifera scutellata were measured on foragers fixed on a holder and stimulated with an electric shock as a noxious stimulus. The threshold of responsiveness to the noxious stimulus increased when bees were previously stimulated with isopentyl acetate, which is a main component of the alarm pheromone of the sting chamber. This effect is antagonised by previous injection of naloxone-hydrochloride (Endo Laboratories Inc.). Results suggest that in the honeybee an endogenous opioid system activated by isopentyl acetate is responsible for modulation of perception for nociceptive stimuli. The resulting stress-induced analgesia in the defender bee would reduce its probability of withdrawal thus increasing its efficiency against enemies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, FCEyN, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina. postmast@insect.uba.ar
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Núñez
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Balderrama
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Giurfa
mesh_terms: D000698:Analgesia; D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000502:physiology*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D009270:Naloxone / Q000494:pharmacology; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D009619:Nociceptors / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010675:Pheromones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011957:Receptors, Opioid / Q000187:drug effects*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*
chemical_list: D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D010675:Pheromones; D011957:Receptors, Opioid; D009270:Naloxone