Long-term and Multi-generational Animal Feeding Studies - Animal Nutrition with Transgenic Plants - page 117

Animal species/category
(animals per treatment
and duration of study)

Plant species/trait Parameters measured Main results Authors' interpretation of results References

Glyphosate
tolerant ( CP4-
EPSPS gene)

Swiss mice
(12 females)

Histocytochemistry pancreatic acinar
cells.

No differences in body weight and
no macroscopic changes in the
pancreas. No structural
modifi cations but quantitative
changes in some cellular
constituents. Reduction of
 -amylase synthesis.

A diet containing signifi cant
amounts of GM food seems to
infl uence the zymogen
synthesis and processing in
pancreatics acinar cells
(reasons remain unknown).

Malatesta et al .,
2002b

240 days
(30 weeks)

(No isogenic line
compared to
GM soybean;
'wild type')

Glyphosate
tolerant ( CP4-
EPSPS gene)

Swiss mice
(12 females)

Ultrastructural morphetrical and
immunocytochemical analyses of
pancreatic acinar cell nuclei.

Decrease of the shape index and
the fi brillar centre density and
increase of the pored density, the
perichromatin granule density, the
percentage of fi brillar centres in
GM-fed mice. Lower labelling for
the nucleoplasmic splicing
factors.

A diet containing signifi cant
amounts of GM food seems to
infl uence the pancreatic
metabolism (reasons remain
unclear).

Malatesta et al .,
2003

1, 2, 5 or 8 months
(4 weeks to 30 weeks) (No isogenic line

compared to
GM soybean;
'wild type')

Glyphosate
tolerant ( CP4-
EPSPS gene)

Swiss mice
(12 females)

Enzyme chemistry of serum, liver
and pancreas.

Enlarged vesicles of the smooth
endoplasmic reticulum. Decrease
in the number of nuclear pores.
Reduced labelling during the 2-8
month interval. Increase in
perichromatin granules in Sertoli
cells and in spermatocytes of
GM-fed mice.

A transient transcriptional
decrease during the 2-8
month interval. Most of the
effects reversible. Causes of
the alteration not established,
especially because glyphosate
residues might infl uence
transcriptional process.

Vecchio et al ., 2004

1, 2, 5 or 8 months
(4 weeks to 30 weeks)

(No isogenic line
compared to
GM soybean;
'wild type')

Glyphosate
tolerant ( CP4-
EPSPS gene)
(No isogenic line

Swiss mice
(10 females)

Histocytochemistry of hepatocytes.
Total protein content of the liver
(2-DE).

Different expression of proteins
related to hepatocyte metabolism,
stress response, calcium
signalling and mitochondria in
GM-fed mice. Indications of

GM-soybean intake can infl uence
some liver features during
ageing (mechanisms remain
unknown).

Malatesta et al .,
2008

2 years