Biological impact of feeding rats with a genetically modified-based diet

Authors: HANAA ORABY, MAHROUSA KANDIL, NERMEEN SHAFFIE, INAS GHALY

Abstract: This work was conducted in the context of postmarketing biosafety assessment of genetically modified products. It presents a systematic approach based on a chronic toxicity study on Wistar albino rats, with a range of combined parameters including biochemical, histopathological, and cytogenetic to evaluate the negative impact of a genetically modified (GM) diet on animal health. Histopathological and biochemical analysis procedures were performed in the liver, kidney, and testis. Cytogenetic analysis was evaluated in germ cells and the liver. The results revealed that the laboratory diet used in our investigation was proved experimentally, using the PCR assay, to contain genetically modified components without being labeled as such. The results of all parameters evaluated in our investigation were consistent and confirm that the GM diet fed to rats for 30, 60, or 90 days has deleterious histopathological and histochemical impacts. Biochemical alterations in alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, creatinine, uric acid, and malondialdehyde concentrations were also observed. Genotoxicity of the GM diet was also demonstrated in germ cells as increased numbers of cells with chromosomal aberrations and in liver cells as increased ratios of DNA fragmentation. In conclusion, the results of the present work indicate that there are health hazards linked to the ingestion of diets containing genetically modified components.

Keywords: Genetically modified feed, novel food, genotoxicity, biosafety, GMOs

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