title: Multigeneration reproductive and developmental toxicity study of bar gene inserted into genetically modified potato on rats.
abstract: Each specific protein has an individual gene encoding it, and a foreign gene introduced to a plant can be used to synthesize a new protein. The identification of potential reproductive and developmental toxicity from novel proteins produced by genetically modified (GM) crops is a difficult task. A science-based risk assessment is needed in order to use GM crops as a conventional foodstuff. In this study, the specific characteristics of GM food and low-level chronic exposure were examined using a five-generation animal study. In each generation, rats were fed a solid pellet containing 5% GM potato and non-GM potato for 10 wk prior to mating in order to assess the potential reproductive and developmental toxic effects. In the multigeneration animal study, there were no GM potato-related changes in body weight, food consumption, reproductive performance, and organ weight. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was carried out using extracted genomic DNA to examine the possibility of gene persistence in the organ tissues after a long-term exposure to low levels of GM feed. In each generation, the gene responsible for bar was not found in any of the reproductive organs of the GM potato-treated male and female rats, and the litter-related indexes did not show any genetically modified organism (GMO)-related changes. The results suggest that genetically modified crops have no adverse effects on the multigeneration reproductive-developmental ability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, National Institute of Toxicological Research, Korea Food and Drug Administration, Seoul.
authors.forename: Gyu Seek
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Rhee
authors.forename: Dae Hyun
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Yong Hyuck
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Won
authors.forename: Ji Hyun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Seok
authors.forename: Soon Sun
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seung Jun
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kwack
authors.forename: Rhee Da
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Soo Yeong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Chae
authors.forename: Jae Woo
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Byung Mu
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kui Lea
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Kwang Sik
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Choi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology; D018744:DNA, Plant / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D030841:Food, Genetically Modified / Q000633:toxicity*; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects; D005837:Genitalia, Male / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects; D007668:Kidney / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000633:toxicity*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects; D011198:Solanum tuberosum / Q000235:genetics*; D013154:Spleen / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects; D018675:Toxicity Tests
chemical_list: D018744:DNA, Plant