"Effect of GM and non-GM soybeans on the immune system of BN rats
and B10A mice"
ABSTRACT
R. Teshima, H. Akiyama, H. Okunuki, J. Sakushima, Y. Goda, H.
Onodera, J. Sawada, and M. Toyoda
Journal of the Food Hygienic Society of Japan
41: (3) 188-193
June 2000
Subchronic animal feeding studies to examine the effect of *glyphosate*-
tolerant soybeans, which contain the bacterial 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-
phosphate synthase from Agrobacterium sp. strain CP4, on the immune system
were conducted with BN rats and B10A mice. The studies were designed to
compare the feeding value of a line of genetically modified
*glyphosate*-tolerant soybeans (GM soybeans) to that of closely-related
and one-parent same cultivar (non-GM soybeans). Heat-treated soybean meal
was incorporated into the diets of the rats and mice at a concentration of
30%. The study duration was 15 weeks. Growth, food intake and weights of
the liver and the spleen mere compared between animals fed the non-GM and
GM lines. The histopathology of the thymus, liver, spleen, mesenteric
lymph node, Peyer's patches, and small intestine, and the production of
soybean-specific IgE and IgG antibodies in the sera were also compared.
Growth, feeding value, and the histopathology of immune-related organs
showed no significant differences between animals fed GM and non-GM lines.
The production of soybean-specific IgE was not detected in the sera of
either group, and the increase in soybean-specific IgG was identical in
the GM and non-GM groups. No immunotoxic activity was found in
GM-soybean-fed rats or mice.
REPRINTS:
TESHIMA R NATL INST HLTH SCI SETAGAYA KU 1-18-1 KAMIYOGA TOKYO 1588501,
JAPAN
RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS:
Natl Inst Hlth Sci Setagaya Ku Tokyo 1588501, Japan
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