Effects of Feeding Bt Maize to Sows during Gestation and Lactation on Maternal and Offspring Immunity and Fate of Transgenic Material

Abstract

BackgroundWe aimed to determine the effect of feeding transgenic maize to sows during gestation and lactation on maternal and offspring immunity and to assess the fate of transgenic material.Methodology/Principal FindingsOn the day of insemination, sows were assigned to one of two treatments (n = 12/treatment); 1) non-Bt control maize diet or 2) Bt-MON810 maize diet, which were fed for ∼143 days throughout gestation and lactation. Immune function was assessed by leukocyte phenotyping, haematology and Cry1Ab-specific antibody presence in blood on days 0, 28 and 110 of gestation and at the end of lactation. Peripheral-blood mononuclear cell cytokine production was investigated on days 28 and 110 of gestation. Haematological analysis was performed on offspring at birth (n = 12/treatment). Presence of the cry1Ab transgene was assessed in sows' blood and faeces on day 110 of gestation and in blood and tissues of offspring at birth. Cry1Ab protein presence was assessed in sows' blood during gestation and lactation and in tissues of offspring at birth. Blood monocyte count and percentage were higher (P<0.05), while granulocyte percentage was lower (P<0.05) in Bt maize-fed sows on day 110 of gestation. Leukocyte count and granulocyte count and percentage were lower (P<0.05), while lymphocyte percentage was higher (P<0.05) in offspring of Bt maize-fed sows. Bt maize-fed sows had a lower percentage of monocytes on day 28 of lactation and of CD4+CD8+ lymphocytes on day 110 of gestation, day 28 of lactation and overall (P<0.05). Cytokine production was similar between treatments. Transgenic material or Cry1Ab-specific antibodies were not detected in sows or offspring.Conclusions/SignificanceTreatment differences observed following feeding of Bt maize to sows did not indicate inflammation or allergy and are unlikely to be of major importance. These results provide additional data for Bt maize safety assessment.

Detection of genetically modified food in digesta and organs of rats fed transgenic potato

“…Consumers have many difficulties in avoiding genetically modified (GM) products due to the ubiquitous presence of GM crops produced worldwide (Buzoianu et al, 2012). Although regulatory agencies issued precise frameworks for adoption of transgenic crops, concerns about the safety of transgenic products still remain (Walsh et al, 2011).…”

Internal quality control of an enzyme-linked immunoassay for Cry1Ab toxin detection applied in animal tissues

“…Results of Cry1Ab toxin concentrations determined in porcine tissue samples were available from pig feeding studies (WALSH et al, 2011BUZOIANU et al, 2012). Organ samples were heart, kidney, spleen, liver, muscle, lymph node, brain, and serum of pigs fed with GM MON 810 (PR34N44) and non-GM isogenic maize (PR34N43).…”

“…To study possible occurrence of Cry1Ab in porcine tissues, feeding studies with PR34N44 Bt-maize were performed (WALSH et al, 2011;BUZOIANU et al, 2012;WALSH et al, 2012), and results indicated that appearance or detection success of Bt toxin in different tissues is not uniform. Cry1Ab was positively detected in stomach content and digesta samples, but fell below the LOD for other tissues.…”

‘Ξένο’ DNA Από Τη Χορηγούμενη Τροφή Στον Οργανισμό Των Ζώων Και Αξιολόγηση Της Ασφάλειας Των Γενετικώς Τροποποιημένων Ζωοτροφών

“…Επιπλέον, μεγάλος όγκος μελετών έχει διεξαχθεί για τη μελέτη της θρεπτικής αξίας και της ασφάλειας των γενετικώς τροποποιημένων ζωοτροφών μετά τη χορήγησή τους σε διάφορα είδη αγροτικών ζώων (Flachowsky et al 2012). Τέλος, ικανός αριθμός άρθρων έχει δημοσιευτεί σχετικά με τύχη του 'ξένου', διαγονιδιακού ή ανασυνδυασμένου DNA των γενετικώς τροποποιημένων ζωοτροφών στο γαστρεντερικό σωλήνα των ζώων (Chainark et al, 2008, Guertler et al, 2008, Tremblay et al, 2008, Wiedermann et al, 2009, Rizzi et al, 2012, Johannessen et al, 2013, καθώς και με τις αποδόσεις παραγωγικών ζώων πού καταλώνουν τέτοιες ζωοτροφές (Alink et al, 2008, Buzoianu et al, 2012a, b, Snell et al, 2012, Walsh et al, 2012, Buzoianu et al, 2013.…”

“…Η μελέτη αφορούσε στη χορήγηση γενετικώς τροποποιημένης τροφής σε χοιρίδια επί 110 ημέρες (Walsh et al 2012, Buzoianu et al 2012b, σε σύες στη διάρκεια της εγκυμοσύνης και της γαλακτικής περιόδου (Buzoianu et al 2012a) και σε σύες και τα χοιρίδια αυτών επί 115 ημέρες μετά τον απογαλακτισμό (Buzoianu et al 2013). ως γενικό συμπέρασμα, οι εν λόγω μελέτες κατέληξαν ότι δεν παρατηρήθηκαν ανωμαλίες στις διάφορες φυσιολογικές καταστάσεις των ζώων.…”