Allergenicity test of genetically modified soybean in Sprague-Dawley rats

Allergenicity of genetically-modified (GM) soybean was evaluated in male Sp rague Dawley rats. To confirm the GM soybean used in this study, the polyme rase chain reaction (PCR) was performed using the chromosomal DNA of soybea ns. The PCR result provided the clear discrimination of genetically-modifie d (GM) soybeans. To evaluate the allergenicity of GM soybean and non-GM con trol one, the soybean homogenate was sensitized subcutaneously 3 times a we ek for 3 weeks. The doses of soybean were 0, 2 and 20 mg/kg in the protein basis. A week after the last sensitization, antisera were recovered from in dividual animals. When the sera were injected intradermally on the clipped back of unsensitized rats with various dilutions, followed by a challenge w ith 20 mg/kg of soybean homogenate containing 1% Evans blue, no sign of pas sive cutaneous anaphylaxis reaction was detected. In addition, when the ser a were treated in the cultures of peritoneal mast cells, the increase of hi stamine release by anti-(GM soybean) sera was not observed when compared to that by anti-(non-GM soybean) sera. The present results indicate that the GM soybean might not ad as a strong allergen in male Sprague Dawley rats.