Honey bee Royalactin unlocks conserved pluripotency pathway in mammals

Royal Jelly: Biological Action and Health Benefits

Royal jelly (RJ) is a highly nutritious natural product with great potential for use in medicine, cosmetics, and as a health-promoting food. This bee product is a mixture of important compounds, such as proteins, vitamins, lipids, minerals, hormones, neurotransmitters, flavonoids, and polyphenols, that underlie the remarkable biological and therapeutic activities of RJ. Various bioactive molecules like 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA), antibacterial protein, apisin, the major royal jelly proteins, and specific peptides such as apisimin, royalisin, royalactin, apidaecin, defensin-1, and jelleins are characteristic ingredients of RJ. RJ shows numerous physiological and pharmacological properties, including vasodilatory, hypotensive, antihypercholesterolaemic, antidiabetic, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-aging, neuroprotective, antimicrobial, estrogenic, anti-allergic, anti-osteoporotic, and anti-tumor effects. Moreover, RJ may reduce menopause symptoms and improve the health of the reproductive system, liver, and kidneys, and promote wound healing. This article provides an overview of the molecular mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of RJ in various diseases, aging, and aging-related complications, with special emphasis on the bioactive components of RJ and their health-promoting properties. The data presented should be an incentive for future clinical studies that hopefully will advance our knowledge about the therapeutic potential of RJ and facilitate the development of novel RJ-based therapeutic opportunities for improving human health and well-being.

Royal Jelly Enhances the Ability of Myoblast C2C12 Cells to Differentiate into Multilineage Cells

Royal jelly (RJ) is recognized as beneficial to mammalian health. Multilineage differentiation potential is an important property of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). C2C12 cells have an innate ability to differentiate into myogenic cells. Like MSCs, C2C12 cells can also differentiate into osteoblast- and adipocyte-lineage cells. We recently reported that RJ enhances the myogenic differentiation of C2C12 cells. However, the effect of RJ on osteoblast or adipocyte differentiation is still unknown. Here in this study, we have examined the effect of RJ on the osteoblast and adipocyte differentiation of C2C12 cells. Protease-treated RJ was used to reduce the adverse effects caused by RJ supplementation. To induce osteoblast or adipocyte differentiation, cells were treated with bone morphogenetic proteins (BMP) or peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) agonist, respectively. RNA-seq was used to analyze the effect of RJ on gene expression. We found that RJ stimulates osteoblast and adipocyte differentiation. RJ regulated 279 genes. RJ treatment upregulated glutathione-related genes. Glutathione, the most abundant antioxidative factor in cells, has been shown to promote osteoblast differentiation in MSC and MSC-like cells. Therefore, RJ may promote osteogenesis, at least in part, through the antioxidant effects of glutathione. RJ enhances the differentiation ability of C2C12 cells into multiple lineages, including myoblasts, osteoblasts, and adipocytes.

Effects of royal jelly on the antisenescence, mitochondrial viability and osteogenic differentiation capacity of umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent cells that have the ability to self-renew and regulate paracrine signalling and immune system processes. MSCs have extensive clinical applications in regeneration, functional reconstruction and cellular therapies. However, studies are needed to discover ways to improve the properties of MSCs, such as differentiation, and prevent senescence in culture, which are both very important for cell therapies. Royal jelly (RJ) is a nutritional substance produced by worker bees that contains a substantial amounts of proteins that are beneficial for cell growth and proliferation. RJ is widely used in traditional medicine today, and due to the specific components in its content, it has been reported to have antioxidant, antiproliferative, antimicrobial, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and anti-ageing properties. In our study, human Wharton's jelly mesenchymal stem cells (WJ-MSCs) derived from umbilical cord matrix were grown in culture medium supplemented with RJ. The control group comprised minimum essential medium (MEM) and 10% foetal bovine serum (FBS); RJ groups were formed using MEM, 10% FBS and 0.075 mg/ml or 0.150 mg/ml RJ. In our study, we evaluated the effect of RJ on WJ-MSC growth by MTT assay, proliferating cell nuclear antigen ELISA, β-galactosidase activity assay, MitoTracker Green staining and differentiation tests in adipogenic, osteogenic and chondrogenic cell lines. It was observed that the number of mitochondria increased, senescence decreased and osteogenic differentiation increased after differentiation induction after the addition of RJ to MSC culture. In general, the results of this study indicate that WJ-MSCs enhance mitochondrial numbers and important cellular activities, such as antisenescence and osteogenic differentiation, and with increasing evidence from further studies, RJ supplementation may be found beneficial for the use of MSCs in bone engineering regenerative medicine or cell therapy.

Diverse Regulatory Manners and Potential Roles of lncRNAs in the Developmental Process of Asian Honey Bee (Apis cerana) Larval Guts

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are crucial modulators in a variety of biological processes, such as gene expression, development, and immune defense. However, little is known about the function of lncRNAs in the development of Asian honey bee (Apis cerana) larval guts. Here, on the basis of our previously obtained deep-sequencing data from the 4-, 5-, and 6-day-old larval guts of A. cerana workers (Ac4, Ac5, and Ac6 groups), an in-depth transcriptome-wide investigation was conducted to decipher the expression pattern, regulatory manners, and potential roles of lncRNAs during the developmental process of A. cerana worker larval guts, followed by the verification of the relative expression of differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) and the targeting relationships within a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) axis. In the Ac4 vs. Ac5 and Ac5 vs. Ac6 comparison groups, 527 and 498 DElncRNAs were identified, respectively, which is suggestive of the dynamic expression of lncRNAs during the developmental process of larval guts. A cis-acting analysis showed that 330 and 393 neighboring genes of the aforementioned DElncRNAs were respectively involved in 29 and 32 functional terms, such as cellular processes and metabolic processes; these neighboring genes were also respectively engaged in 246 and 246 pathways such as the Hedgehog signaling pathway and the Wnt signaling pathway. Additionally, it was found that 79 and 76 DElncRNAs as potential antisense lncRNAs may, respectively, interact with 72 and 60 sense-strand mRNAs. An investigation of competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks suggested that 75 (155) DElncRNAs in the Ac4 vs. Ac5 (Ac5 vs. Ac6) comparison group could target 7 (5) DEmiRNAs and further bind to 334 (248) DEmRNAs, which can be annotated to 33 (29) functional terms and 186 (210) pathways, including 12 (16) cellular- and humoral-immune pathways (lysosome pathway, necroptosis, MAPK signaling pathway, etc.) and 11 (10) development-associated signaling pathways (Wnt, Hippo, AMPK, etc.). The RT-qPCR detection of five randomly selected DElncRNAs confirmed the reliability of the used sequencing data. Moreover, the results of a dual-luciferase reporter assay were indicative of the binding relationship between MSTRG.11294.1 and miR-6001-y and between miR-6001-y and ncbi_107992440. These results demonstrate that DElncRNAs are likely to modulate the developmental process of larval guts via the regulation of the source genes' transcription, interaction with mRNAs, and ceRNA networks. Our findings not only yield new insights into the developmental mechanism underlying A. cerana larval guts, but also provide a candidate ceRNA axis for further functional dissection.

Neuroprotective properties of queen bee acid by autophagy induction

Autophagy is a conserved intracellular catabolic pathway that removes cytoplasmic components to contribute to neuronal homeostasis. Accumulating evidence has increasingly shown that the induction of autophagy improves neuronal health and extends longevity in several animal models. Therefore, there is a great interest in the identification of effective autophagy enhancers with potential nutraceutical or pharmaceutical properties to ameliorate age-related diseases, such as neurodegenerative disorders, and/or promote longevity. Queen bee acid (QBA, 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid) is the major fatty acid component of, and is found exclusively in, royal jelly, which has beneficial properties for human health. It is reported that QBA has antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial activities and promotes neurogenesis and neuronal health; however, the mechanism by which QBA exerts these effects has not been fully elucidated. The present study investigated the role of the autophagic process in the protective effect of QBA. We found that QBA is a novel autophagy inducer that triggers autophagy in various neuronal cell lines and mouse and fly models. The beclin-1 (BECN1) and mTOR pathways participate in the regulation of QBA-induced autophagy. Moreover, our results showed that QBA stimulates sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), which promotes autophagy by the deacetylation of critical ATG proteins. Finally, QBA-mediated autophagy promotes neuroprotection in Parkinson's disease in vitro and in a mouse model and extends the lifespan of Drosophila melanogaster. This study provides detailed evidences showing that autophagy induction plays a critical role in the beneficial health effects of QBA.

In situ formed scaffold with royal jelly-derived extracellular vesicles for wound healing

Background: Safe and effective wound healing can be a major clinical challenge. Inflammation and vascular impairment are two main causes of inadequate wound healing. Methods: Here, we developed a versatile hydrogel wound dressing, comprising a straightforward physical mixture of royal jelly-derived extracellular vesicles (RJ-EVs) and methacrylic anhydride modified sericin (SerMA), to accelerate wound healing by inhibiting inflammation and promoting vascular reparation. Results: The RJ-EVs showed satisfactory anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, and significantly promoted L929 cell proliferation and migration in vitro. Meanwhile, the photocrosslinked SerMA hydrogel with its porous interior structure and high fluidity made it a good candidate for wound dressing. The RJ-EVs can be gradually released from the SerMA hydrogel at the wound site, ensuring the restorative effect of RJ-EVs. In a full-thickness skin defect model, the SerMA/RJ-EVs hydrogel dressing accelerated wound healing with a healing rate of 96.8% by improving cell proliferation and angiogenesis. The RNA sequencing results further revealed that the SerMA/RJ-EVs hydrogel dressing was involved in inflammatory damage repair-related pathways including recombinational repair, epidermis development, and Wnt signaling. Conclusion: This SerMA/RJ-EVs hydrogel dressing offers a simple, safe and robust strategy for modulating inflammation and vascular impairment for accelerated wound healing.

Royal jelly extracellular vesicles promote wound healing by modulating underlying cellular responses

Apis mellifera royal jelly (RJ) is a well-known remedy in traditional medicine around the world and its versatile effects range from antibacterial to anti-inflammatory properties and pro-regenerative properties. As a glandular product, RJ has been shown to contain a substantial number of extracellular vesicles (EVs), and, in this study, we aimed to investigate the extent of involvement of RJEVs in wound healing-associated effects. Molecular analysis of RJEVs verified the presence of exosomal markers such as CD63 and syntenin, and cargo molecules MRJP1, defensin-1, and jellein-3. Furthermore, RJEVs were demonstrated to modulate mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) differentiation and secretome, as well as decrease LPS-induced inflammation in macrophages by blocking the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. In vivo studies confirmed antibacterial effects of RJEVs and demonstrated an acceleration of wound healing in a splinted mouse model. This study suggests that RJEVs play a crucial role in the known effects of RJ by modulating the inflammatory phase and cellular response in wound healing. Transfer of RJ into the clinics has been impeded by the high complexity of the raw material. Isolating EVs from the raw RJ decreases the complexity while allowing standardization and quality control, bringing a natural nano-therapy one step closer to the clinics.

Royal Jelly Increases Hematopoietic Stem Cells in Peripheral Blood: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Randomized Trial in Healthy Subjects

Objectives

Royal jelly (RJ), produced by honeybees, influences stem cell functions, such as pluripotency maintenance of mouse embryonic stem cells and prevention of aging-related muscle stem cell functional deterioration. Thus, we hypothesized that RJ administration has various health-promoting effects based on stem cells. However, its effects are unknown in humans. In this study, we have attempted for the first time to clarify whether the administration of RJ in humans affects stem cells.

Materials and Methods

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was performed on healthy subjects (n = 90) who received protease-treated RJ at a dose of 1200 mg/day or placebo daily for four weeks. Also, the participants with a low number of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in peripheral blood were preferentially selected. HSC counts, endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) counts, blood cell counts in peripheral blood, cytokines in serum, and physical conditions were evaluated. Results and Conclusion. Eligible data from 86 subjects (placebo: 42, RJ: 44) who completed the study were analyzed. There were no significant differences between the two groups regarding the changes in peripheral HSC count (p=0.103), while diastolic blood pressure showed a significant improvement in the RJ group compared to that in the placebo group (p=0.032). The subgroup analysis excluded 14 subjects who complained of cold symptoms at baseline or within five days of the four-week study. The changes in the HSC populations were significantly higher in the RJ group than those in the placebo group (p=0.042). No adverse effects were observed in any of the groups. These results suggest that RJ administration affected the peripheral HSC count and may influence stem cell functions. Further research is needed to reveal the various health-promoting benefits of RJ based on stem cells.

Theoretical Analysis of S, M and N Structural Proteins by the Protein-RNA Recognition Code Leads to Genes/proteins that Are Relevant to the SARS-CoV-2 Life Cycle and Pathogenesis

In this conceptual review, based on the protein-RNA recognition code, some theoretical sequences were detected in the spike (S), membrane (M) and capsid (N) proteins that may post-transcriptionally regulate the host genes/proteins in immune homeostasis, pulmonary epithelial tissue homeostasis, and lipid homeostasis. According to the review of literature, the spectrum of identified genes/proteins shows that the virus promotes IL1α/β-IL1R1 signaling (type 1 immunity) and immunity defense against helminths and venoms (type 2 immunity). In the alteration of homeostasis in the pulmonary epithelial tissue, the virus blocks the function of cilia and the molecular programs that are involved in wound healing (EMT and MET). Additionally, the protein-RNA recognition method described here identifies compatible sequences in the S1A-domain for the post-transcriptional promotion of PIKFYVE, which is one of the critical factors for SARS-CoV-2 entry to the host cell, and for the post-transcriptional repression of xylulokinase XYLB. A decrease in XYLB product (Xu5P) in plasma was proposed as one of the potential metabolomics biomarkers of COVID-19. In summary, the protein-RNA recognition code leads to protein genes relevant to the SARS-CoV-2 life cycle and pathogenesis.

Bioactives from Bee Products and Accompanying Extracellular Vesicles as Novel Bioactive Components for Wound Healing

In recent years, interest has surged among researchers to determine compounds from bee products such as honey, royal jelly, propolis and bee pollen, which are beneficial to human health. Mass spectrometry techniques have shown that bee products contain a number of proven health-promoting compounds but also revealed rather high diversity in the chemical composition of bee products depending on several factors, such as for example botanical sources and geographical origin. In the present paper, we present recent scientific advances in the field of major bioactive compounds from bee products and corresponding regenerative properties. We also discuss extracellular vesicles from bee products as a potential novel bioactive nutraceutical component. Extracellular vesicles are cell-derived membranous structures that show promising potential in various therapeutic areas. It has been extensively reported that the use of vesicles, which are naturally formed in plant and animal cells, as delivery agents have many advantages. Whether the use of extracellular vesicles from bee products represents a new solution for wound healing remains still to be elucidated. However, promising results in specific applications of the bee products in wound healing and tissue regenerative properties of extracellular vesicles provide a good rationale to further explore this idea.

Nature Versus Nurture: What Can be Learned from the Oldest-Old's Claims About Longevity?

Beneficial genetic or environmental factors that influence the length and quality of life can be evaluated while studying supercentenarians. The oldest-old can withstand serious/fatal illnesses more than their peers and/or their aging rate is decreased. Supercentenarians are an interesting group of individuals whose lifestyle is not particularly healthy according to the common guidelines, namely some of them seem to have similar harmful behaviors, but still manage to stay healthier for longer, and while eventually dying from the same degenerative diseases as the general population, they develop symptoms 20-30 years later. As there are not many supercentenarians by definition, it is worthwhile to diligently collect their data to enable future meta-analyses on larger samples; much can be learned from supercentenarians' habits and lifestyle choices about the aging process. Contributions of genetics, lifestyle choices, and epigenetics to their extended life span are discussed here.

A cross-species analysis of systemic mediators of repair and complex tissue regeneration

Regeneration is an elegant and complex process informed by both local and long-range signals. Many current studies on regeneration are largely limited to investigations of local modulators within a canonical cohort of model organisms. Enhanced genetic tools increasingly enable precise temporal and spatial perturbations within these model regenerators, and these have primarily been applied to cells within the local injury site. Meanwhile, many aspects of broader spatial regulators of regeneration have not yet been examined with the same level of scrutiny. Recent studies have shed important insight into the significant effects of environmental cues and circulating factors on the regenerative process. These observations highlight that consideration of more systemic and possibly more broadly acting cues will also be critical to fully understand complex tissue regeneration. In this review, we explore the ways in which systemic cues and circulating factors affect the initiation of regeneration, the regenerative process, and its outcome. As this is a broad topic, we conceptually divide the factors based on their initial input as either external cues (for example, starvation and light/dark cycle) or internal cues (for example, hormones); however, all of these inputs ultimately lead to internal responses. We consider studies performed in a diverse set of organisms, including vertebrates and invertebrates. Through analysis of systemic mediators of regeneration, we argue that increased investigation of these "systemic factors" could reveal novel insights that may pave the way for a diverse set of therapeutic avenues.

Health Promoting Properties of Bee Royal Jelly: Food of the Queens

Royal jelly (RJ) demand is growing every year and so is the market for functional foods in general. RJ is formed by different substances, mainly carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids, but also vitamins, minerals, and phenolic or volatile compounds in lower proportion. Major royal jelly proteins (MRJP) are, together with 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA), key substances of RJ due to their different biological properties. In particular, 10-HDA is a unique substance in this product. RJ has been historically employed as health enhancer and is still very relevant in China due to the traditional medicine and the apitherapy. Nowadays, it is mainly consumed as a functional food or is found in supplements and other formulations for its health-beneficial properties. Within these properites, anti-lipidemic, antioxidant, antiproliferative, antimicrobial, neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antiaging, and estrogenic activities have been reported for RJ or its specific components. This manuscript is aimed at reviewing the current knowledge on RJ components, their assessment in terms of authenticity, their biological activities, and related health applications.

A distal enhancer maintaining Hoxa1 expression orchestrates retinoic acid-induced early ESCs differentiation

Retinoic acid (RA) induces rapid differentiation of embryonic stem cells (ESCs), partly by activating expression of the transcription factor Hoxa1, which regulates downstream target genes that promote ESCs differentiation. However, mechanisms of RA-induced Hoxa1 expression and ESCs early differentiation remain largely unknown. Here, we identify a distal enhancer interacting with the Hoxa1 locus through a long-range chromatin loop. Enhancer deletion significantly inhibited expression of RA-induced Hoxa1 and endoderm master control genes such as Gata4 and Gata6. Transcriptome analysis revealed that RA-induced early ESCs differentiation was blocked in Hoxa1 enhancer knockout cells, suggesting a requirement for the enhancer. Restoration of Hoxa1 expression partly rescued expression levels of ∼40% of genes whose expression changed following enhancer deletion, and ∼18% of promoters of those rescued genes were directly bound by Hoxa1. Our data show that a distal enhancer maintains Hoxa1 expression through long-range chromatin loop and that Hoxa1 directly regulates downstream target genes expression and then orchestrates RA-induced early differentiation of ESCs. This discovery reveals mechanisms of a novel enhancer regulating RA-induced Hoxa genes expression and early ESCs differentiation.

Apitherapy for Osteoarthritis: Perspectives from Basic Research

Osteoarthritis is one of the most common rheumatic disease in the world and one of the leading causes of disability in the elderly. There is still no curative management for the disease, so the search for new therapeutic alternatives continues. -Apitherapy is a therapeutic tool based on the use of beehive products used since ancient times and, at present, their mechanism of action begins to be known. Many of the mechanisms of action of the beehive products are useful for chronic articular pathophysiological processes such as those described in osteoarthritis. This article presents a review of the current state of understanding of the mechanisms through which bee venom, propolis, honey, pollen, and royal jelly may act on osteoarthritis.

Royal Jelly and Its Components Promote Healthy Aging and Longevity: From Animal Models to Humans

Aging is a natural phenomenon that occurs in all living organisms. In humans, aging is associated with lowered overall functioning and increased mortality out of the risk for various age-related diseases. Hence, researchers are pushed to find effective natural interventions that can promote healthy aging and extend lifespan. Royal jelly (RJ) is a natural product that is fed to bee queens throughout their entire life. Thanks to RJ, bee queens enjoy an excellent reproductive function and lengthened lifespan compared with bee workers, despite the fact that they have the same genome. This review aimed to investigate the effect of RJ and/or its components on lifespan/healthspan in various species by evaluating the most relevant studies. Moreover, we briefly discussed the positive effects of RJ on health maintenance and age-related disorders in humans. Whenever possible, we explored the metabolic, molecular, and cellular mechanisms through which RJ can modulate age-related mechanisms to extend lifespan. RJ and its ingredients—proteins and their derivatives e.g., royalactin; lipids e.g., 10-hydroxydecenoic acid; and vitamins e.g., pantothenic acid—improved healthspan and extended lifespan in worker honeybees Apis mellifera, Drosophila Melanogaster flies, Gryllus bimaculatus crickets, silkworms, Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes, and mice. The longevity effect was attained via various mechanisms: downregulation of insulin-like growth factors and targeting of rapamycin, upregulation of the epidermal growth factor signaling, dietary restriction, and enhancement of antioxidative capacity. RJ and its protein and lipid ingredients have the potential to extend lifespan in various creatures and prevent senescence of human tissues in cell cultures. These findings pave the way to inventing specific RJ anti-aging drugs. However, much work is needed to understand the effect of RJ interactions with microbiome, diet, activity level, gender, and other genetic variation factors that affect healthspan and longevity.

The rise and fall of major royal jelly proteins during a honeybee (Apis mellifera) workers' life

The genome of the western honeybee (Apis mellifera) harbors nine transcribed major royal jelly protein genes (mrjp1-9) which originate from a single-copy precursor via gene duplication. The first MRJP was identified in royal jelly, a secretion of the bees' hypopharyngeal glands that is used by young worker bees, called nurses, to feed developing larvae. Thus, MRJPs are frequently assumed to mainly have functions for developing bee larvae and to be expressed in the food glands of nurse bees. In-depth knowledge on caste- and age-specific role and abundance of MRJPs is missing. We here show, using combined quantitative real-time PCR with quantitative mass spectrometry, that expression and protein amount of mrjp1-5 and mrjp7 show an age-dependent pattern in worker's hypopharyngeal glands as well as in brains, albeit lower relative abundance in brains than in glands. Expression increases after hatching until the nurse bee period and is followed by a decrease in older workers that forage for plant products. Mrjp6 expression deviates considerably from the expression profiles of the other mrjps, does not significantly vary in the brain, and shows its highest expression in the hypopharyngeal glands during the forager period. Furthermore, it is the only mrjp of which transcript abundance does not correlate with protein amount. Mrjp8 and mrjp9 show, compared to the other mrjps, a very low expression in both tissues. Albeit mrjp8 mRNA was detected via qPCR, the protein was not quantified in any of the tissues. Due to the occurrence of MRJP8 and MRJP9 in other body parts of the bees, for example, the venom gland, they might not have a hypopharyngeal gland- or brain-specific function but rather functions in other tissues. Thus, mrjp1-7 but not mrjp8 and mrjp9 might be involved in the regulation of phenotypic plasticity and age polyethism in worker honeybees.