In vitro investigation of the cytotoxic effects of various honeybee venoms on Caco-2 and T98G cells.

Background: Honeybee (Apis mellifera) venom contains several biologically active peptides, including melittin, apamin, enzymes, and non-peptide components. Due to its biologically active components, honeybee venom demonstrates antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxic properties. Aims: This study aimed to investigate the cytotoxic effects of honeybee venoms collected from different provinces in Turkey on colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco-2) and glioblastoma multiforme (T98G) cell lines. Methods: The apamin, phospholipase A2, and melittin contents of honeybee venoms were analyzed using a high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) variable wavelength detector. The viability of cells after 24-hour exposure to honeybee venoms was determined using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl) (ΜTT), neutral red (NR), and dehydrogenase leakage (LDH) assays. Results: Content analysis showed that Mugla had the highest apamin content, while Denizli had the highest phospholipase A2 and melittin contents among the analyzed bee venoms. For Caco-2 cells, the lowest inhibitory concentration (IC50) values were observed in the Denizli venom group, with MTT and LDH results of 12.42 ± 0.19 µg/ml and 8.19 ± 0.61 µg/ml, respectively. For T98G cells, these values were 5.98 ± 0.40 µg/ml and 5.04 ± 0.17 µg/ml, respectively. Conclusion: These findings indicate that honeybee venoms from different provinces contain varying levels of apamin, phospholipase A2, and melittin. The cytotoxic effects observed on Caco-2 and T98G cell lines suggest that honeybee venom may have potential as an anticancer agent.