Assessment of Allergenicity in Genetically Modified Herbicide-Resistant Foods Using the Serum Screening Test.
- Author:
Sang Il LEE
1
;
Ji Young KIM
;
Young Shin HAN
;
Kwang Shin LEE
;
Jae Hwan KIM
;
Hae Yeong KIM
;
Kangmo AHN
Author Information
1. Department of Pediatrics, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University, School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. kmaped@skku.edu
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Genetically modified food;
Serum;
Allergenicity
- MeSH:
Allergens;
Child;
Clone Cells;
Excitatory Postsynaptic Potentials;
Food, Genetically Modified;
Humans;
Immunoglobulin E;
Mass Screening;
Proteins;
Soybeans;
Zea mays
- From:Pediatric Allergy and Respiratory Disease
2009;19(3):250-259
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the potential allergenicity of genetically modified (GM) herbicide-resistant food by using the serum screenning test. METHODS: Children with allergic disease were recruited, and those who were sensitized to soybean, corn or peanut were selected to obtain their sera. Sensitization to these food allergens was determined when the level of specific IgE was over 0.35 kU/L using ImmunoCAP (Pharmacia, Uppsala, Sweden). Immunoblot analyses were performed for soybean (n=50), corn (n=50) and peanut (n=20). Newly inserted gene was sequenced and cloned from GM soy (Roundup Ready Soybean, Monsanto), GM corn (Bt 11, Syngenta) and GM canola (MS8/RF3 canola, Bayer CropScience). These proteins, such as CP4 EPSPS, PAT, and BAR, were expressed and purified for the serum screening test. RESULTS: Immunoblot analysis using CP4 EPSPS and sera from soybean-sensitized children showed no bands. Likewise, sera from corn-sensitized children and PAT did not demonstrate IgE binding in immunoblot analysis. In addition, there were no reactions between BAR and sera from peanut-sensitized patients. CONCLUSION: The serum screening test using sera from allergic children and newly inserted protein (CP4 EPSPS, PAT and BAR) in GM soybean, GM corn and GM canola failed to show IgE binding in immunoblot analysis. The results of this study suggest that these newly inserted proteins may not cause allergic disease. Further studies using more sera from allergic children are needed to conclude the safety of herbicide-resistant GM food.
