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

Abstract

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