title: Immunotoxicological evaluation of corn genetically modified with Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ah gene by a 30-day feeding study in BALB/c mice.
abstract: This study was to investigate the immunotoxicological potential of corn genetically modified (GM) with Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Cry1Ah gene in BALB/c mice. Female BALB/c mice were randomly assigned to one of the four groups: the negative control group, the parental corn group, the GM corn group and the positive control group with 10 mice per group. Mice in the GM corn group and the parental corn group were fed with diets containing 70% corresponding corn for 30 days. Mice in the negative control group and the positive control group were fed with AIN93G diet, administered with saline or 200 mg/kg of cyclophosphamide (CY) via intraperitoneal injection 24 h before the termination of the study, respectively. At the end of the study, the immunotoxicological effects of the GM corn were evaluated through immunopathology parameters including body and organ weights, hematology and clinical chemistry parameters, histological examination, peripheral blood lymphocytes phenotype; humoral immunity including antibody plaque-forming cell, serum immunoglobulin, cytokine and half hemolysis value; cellular immunity such as mitogen-induced splenocyte proliferation, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte reaction, delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction; non-specific immunity including phagocytic activities of phagocytes, natural killer cell activity. A single dose of cyclophosphamide (200 mg/kg bw) was found to have significant adverse effects on immunopathology, cellular immunity, and humoral immunity in mice. The corn genetically modified with Bt Cry1Ah gene is considered consistent with the parental corn in terms of immunopathology, humoral immunity, cellular immunity and non-specific immunity. No adverse immunotoxicological effects of GM corn with Bt Cry1Ah gene were found when feeding mice for 30 days.
authors: Key Laboratory of Food Safety Risk Assessment of Ministry of Health, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors: Yan
authors: Y
authors: Song
authors: Key Laboratory of Food Safety Risk Assessment of Ministry of Health, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors: Chunlai
authors: C
authors: Liang
authors: Key Laboratory of Food Safety Risk Assessment of Ministry of Health, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Wang
authors: Key Laboratory of Food Safety Risk Assessment of Ministry of Health, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors: Jin
authors: J
authors: Fang
authors: Key Laboratory of Food Safety Risk Assessment of Ministry of Health, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors: Nana
authors: N
authors: Sun
authors: Key Laboratory of Food Safety Risk Assessment of Ministry of Health, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors: Xudong
authors: X
authors: Jia
authors: Key Laboratory of Food Safety Risk Assessment of Ministry of Health, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, Beijing, People's Republic of China.
authors: Ning
authors: N
authors: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000083722:Bacillus thuringiensis Toxins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D001835:Body Weight; D002452:Cell Count; D004032:Diet; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000235:genetics*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D007109:Immunity; D056724:Immunity, Humoral; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009929:Organ Size; D009928:Organ Specificity / Q000276:immunology; D010587:Phagocytosis; D010641:Phenotype; D030821:Plants, Genetically Modified / Q000009:adverse effects; D003313:Zea mays / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D000083722:Bacillus thuringiensis Toxins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004731:Endotoxins; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D006460:Hemolysin Proteins; C030956:insecticidal crystal protein, Bacillus Thuringiensis