Immunotoxicological evaluation of corn genetically modified with Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ah gene by a 30-day feeding study in BALB/c mice

PLoS One. 2014 Feb 10;9(2):e78566. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0078566. eCollection 2014.

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.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bacillus thuringiensis Toxins
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics*
  • Body Weight
  • Cell Count
  • Diet
  • Endotoxins / genetics*
  • Environmental Pollutants
  • Feeding Behavior*
  • Female
  • Hemolysin Proteins / genetics*
  • Immunity*
  • Immunity, Humoral
  • Killer Cells, Natural / immunology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Organ Size
  • Organ Specificity / immunology
  • Phagocytosis
  • Phenotype
  • Plants, Genetically Modified / adverse effects
  • Zea mays / adverse effects*
  • Zea mays / genetics*

Substances

  • Bacillus thuringiensis Toxins
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Endotoxins
  • Environmental Pollutants
  • Hemolysin Proteins
  • insecticidal crystal protein, Bacillus Thuringiensis

Grants and funding

The work was financially supported by Special Fund for China Agro-scientific Research in the Public Interest (200903054-06) and China National GMO Cultivation Major Project of New Varieties (2008ZX08011-005 and 2011ZX08011-005). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.