ELISA method for monitoring human serum IgE specific for Cry1Ab introduced into genetically modified corn

2015 Evidence Analysis Library Systematic Review on Advanced Technology in Food Production

In the late 20th century, plant breeders began using molecular biology techniques such as recombinant DNA, also known as genetic engineering, along with traditional cross-breeding. Ten plant and one animal food have been approved for commercialization in the United States. Today, foods and ingredients from genetically engineered (GE) crops are present throughout the food supply, which has led to varying levels of acceptance. Much discussion exists among consumers and health professionals about the believability of statements made regarding benefits or risks of GE foods. The aim of this systematic review was to examine the evidence on the association of consumption of GE foods and ingredients derived from them on human health, specifically allergenicity, food safety, pesticide consumption, nutrient adequacy, inflammation, and antibiotic resistance. An expert panel conducted a systematic review on advanced technology in food production. The 30 developed questions focused on effects of human consumption of GE foods and the effects of human consumption of foods containing pesticide residues on human health. Primary research published from 1994 to 2014 were identified using PubMed and Agricultural Online Access databases. Additional studies were identified by searching references of review articles. Twenty-one studies met the inclusion criteria. Relevant research addressed five of 30 questions. Four questions focused on food allergenicity, the fifth on nutrient adequacy, and all received a Grade III (limited/weak) rating. No human studies addressed 25 questions on the consumption of foods produced using genetic engineering technologies on gene translocation, cancer, food safety, phenotype expression, inflammation and inflammatory markers, or antibiotic resistance. These questions received a Grade V (grade not assignable). Evidence from human studies did not reveal an association between adverse health effects and consumption of foods produced using genetic engineering technologies. Although the number of available human studies is small, they support that there are no clear adverse health effects-as they relate to allergenicity and nutrient adequacy-associated with consumption of GE foods. The present systematic review is aligned with a recent report by the National Academy of Sciences that included human and animal research.

A Novel Impedimetric Microfluidic Analysis System for Transgenic Protein Cry1Ab Detection

Impedimetric analysis method is an important tool for food safety detection. In this work, a novel impedimetric microfluidic analysis system consisted of a printed gold electrode chip and a microfluidic flow cell was developed for sensitive and selective detection of transgenic protein Cry1Ab. Anti-Cry1Ab aptamer coated magnetic beads were used to recognize transgenic protein Cry1Ab and form Cry1Ab-aptamer modified magnetic beads. After separation, the obtained Cry1Ab-aptamer modified magnetic beads were dissolved in 0.01 M mannitol and followed by injection into the microfluidic flow cell for impedimetric measurement. At the frequency of 358.3 Hz, the impedance signal shows a good linearity with the concentrations of Cry1Ab protein at a range from 0 to 0.2 nM, and the detection limit is 0.015 nM. The results demonstrate that the impedimetric microfluidic analysis system provides an alternative way to enable sensitive, rapid and specific detection of transgenic protein Cry1Ab.

Antibodies as epidemiological markers of genetically modified crop exposure: detection of Cry1Ab-specific IgG

There has been an increasing concern with the safety of genetically modified (GM) crops. An important modification of GM crops is the expression of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) protein, Cry1Ab. Animal exposure to Cry1Ab indicates that the protein is safe, but that it is immunogenic. Whether Cry1Ab is a human immunogen and whether antibody response to this protein can serve as a marker of high exposure to GM crops is unknown. Here we develop an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to detect the presence of Cry1Ab-specific IgG in ~100 individuals living in each of three countries that have varied exposure to GM crops (Papua New Guinea (PNG), low exposure; Kenya, moderate exposure; and the USA, high exposure). Cry1Ab-specific IgG antibodies were detected in individuals living in each region (8%, the USA; 3%, PNG; and 2%, Kenya). Thus, individuals develop anti-Cry1Ab antibodies at a frequency that roughly correlates with the exposure to GM crops expressing this protein.

Selection and application of broad-specificity human domain antibody for simultaneous detection of Bt Cry toxins

Bt Cry toxin is a kind of bio-toxins that used for genetically modified crops (GMC) transformation widely. In this study, total 15 positive clones could bind the Bt Cry toxins which isolated from a human domain antibody library by 5 rounds affinity selection. According to analyzing of PCR amplification and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), the most positive phage domain antibody (named F5) gene was cloned into the pET26b vector and expressed in E. coli BL21. The purified antibody was used to develop an indirect competitive ELISA (IC-ELISA) for Cry1Ab, Cry1Ac, Cry1B, Cry1C and Cry1F toxins, respectively. The working range of detection for standard curves in IC-ELISA were 0.258-1.407 μg/mL, the medium inhibition concentration (IC50) were 0.727-0.892 μg/mL and detection limit (IC10) were 0.029-0.074 μg/mL for those Bt Cry toxins. The affinity of F5 domain antibody with Cry1Ab, Cry1Ac, Cry1B, Cry1C and Cry1F toxins were 1.21-5.94 × 10(7) M(-1). The average recoveries of the 5 kinds of Bt Cry toxins from spiked wheat samples were ranged from 81.2%-100.8% with a CV at 2.5%-9.4%. The results showed that we successfully obtained the broad-specificity human domain antibody for simultaneous detection of Bt Cry toxins in agricultural product samples.

Assessment of potential adjuvanticity of Cry proteins

Genetically modified (GM) crops have achieved success in the marketplace and their benefits extend beyond the overall increase in harvest yields to include lowered use of insecticides and decreased carbon dioxide emissions. The most widely grown GM crops contain gene/s for targeted insect protection, herbicide tolerance, or both. Plant expression of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) crystal (Cry) insecticidal proteins have been the primary way to impart insect resistance in GM crops. Although deemed safe by regulatory agencies globally, previous studies have been the basis for discussions around the potential immuno-adjuvant effects of Cry proteins. These studies had limitations in study design. The studies used animal models with extremely high doses of Cry proteins, which when given using the ig route were co-administered with an adjuvant. Although the presumption exists that Cry proteins may have immunostimulatory activity and therefore an adjuvanticity risk, the evidence shows that Cry proteins are expressed at very low levels in GM crops and are unlikely to function as adjuvants. This conclusion is based on critical review of the published literature on the effects of immunomodulation by Cry proteins, the history of safe use of Cry proteins in foods, safety of the Bt donor organisms, and pre-market weight-of-evidence-based safety assessments for GM crops.

Detection of Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ab protein based on surface plasmon resonance immunosensor

Two novel surface plasmon resonance immunosensors were fabricated for detection of the Bacillus thuringiensis Cry1Ab protein and to demonstrate their performance in analyzing Cry1Ab protein in crop samples. Sensor 2 was modified by 1,6-hexanedithiol, Au/Ag alloy nanoparticles, 3-mercaptopropionic acid, and protein A (or not [sensor 1]), with Cry1Ab monoclonal antibody. As a result, both of the immunosensors exhibited satisfactory linear responses in the Cry1Ab protein concentration ranges of 10 to 500ngml(-1) and 8 to 1000ngml(-1), and the detection limits were 5.0 and 4.8ngml(-1), respectively. The immunosensors possessed good specificity and acceptable reproducibility. In addition, crop samples could be analyzed after a simple treatment. The transgenic crops could be easily identified from the conventional ones by the two immunosensors.

A fast and sensitive quantitative lateral flow immunoassay for Cry1Ab based on a novel signal amplification conjugate

A novel lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) signal amplification strategy for the detection of Cry1Ab based on amplification via a polylysine (PL) chain and biotin-streptavidin system (BSAS) is described. In this system, multiple fluorescence dyes (FL) were directly coated on the surface of PL and conjugated with antibody via the BSAS for construction of novel signal amplification (FLPL-BSAS-mAb1) conjugates, in which FL, PL and BSAS were employed to improve the sensitivity of LFIA. Compared with conventional LFIA, the sensitivity of FLPL-BSAS-mAb1-based LFIA was increased by approximately 100-fold. Quantified linearity was achieved in the value range of 0–1,000 pg/mL. The limit of detection (LOD) was reached 10 pg/mL after optimization of reaction conditions. To our knowledge, this represents one of the most sensitive LFIA for Cry1Ab yet reported. Furthermore, the detection time for this method was about 10 min. Therefore, it should be an attractive alternative compared to conventional immunoassays in routine control for Cry1Ab.

Fate of Cry1Ab protein in agricultural systems under slurry management of cows fed genetically modified maize (Zea mays L.) MON810: a quantitative assessment

The objective of the study was to track the fate of recombinant Cry1Ab protein in a liquid manure field trial when feeding GM maize MON810 to dairy cows. A validated ELISA was applied for quantification of Cry1Ab in the agricultural chain from GM maize plants, feed, liquid manure and soil to crops grown on manured fields. Starting with 23.7 μg of Cry1Ab g(-1) dry weight GM maize material, a rapid decline of Cry1Ab levels was observed as 2.6% and 0.9% of Cry1Ab from the GM plant were detected in feed and liquid manure, respectively. Half of this residual Cry1Ab persisted during slurry storage for 25 weeks. After application to experimental fields, final degradation of Cry1Ab to below detectable levels in soil was reported. Cry1Ab exhibited a higher rate of degradation compared to total protein in the agricultural processes. Immunoblotting revealed a degradation of the 65 kDa Cry1Ab into immunoreactive fragments of lower size in all analyzed materials.

Immunological and metabolomic impacts of administration of Cry1Ab protein and MON 810 maize in mouse

We have investigated the immunological and metabolomic impacts of Cry1Ab administration to mice, either as a purified protein or as the Cry1Ab-expressing genetically modified (GM) MON810 maize. Humoral and cellular specific immune responses induced in BALB/cJ mice after intra-gastric (i.g.) or intra-peritoneal (i.p.) administration of purified Cry1Ab were analyzed and compared with those induced by proteins of various immunogenic and allergic potencies. Possible unintended effects of the genetic modification on the pattern of expression of maize natural allergens were studied using IgE-immunoblot and sera from maize-allergic patients. Mice were experimentally sensitized (i.g. or i.p. route) with protein extracts from GM or non-GM maize, and then anti-maize proteins and anti-Cry1Ab–induced immune responses were analyzed. In parallel, longitudinal metabolomic studies were performed on the urine of mice treated via the i.g. route. Weak immune responses were observed after i.g. administration of the different proteins. Using the i.p. route, a clear Th2 response was observed with the known allergenic proteins, whereas a mixed Th1/Th2 immune response was observed with immunogenic protein not known to be allergenic and with Cry1Ab. This then reflects protein immunogenicity in the BALB/c Th2-biased mouse strain rather than allergenicity. No difference in natural maize allergen profiles was evidenced between MON810 and its non-GM comparator. Immune responses against maize proteins were quantitatively equivalent in mice treated with MON810 vs the non-GM counterpart and no anti-Cry1Ab–specific immune response was detected in mice that received MON810. Metabolomic studies showed a slight “cultivar” effect, which represented less than 1% of the initial metabolic information. Our results confirm the immunogenicity of purified Cry1Ab without evidence of allergenic potential. Immunological and metabolomic studies revealed slight differences in mouse metabolic profiles after i.g. administration of MON810 vs its non-GM counterpart, but no significant unintended effect of the genetic modification on immune responses was seen.

Quantification and characterization of maize lipid transfer protein, a food allergen, by liquid chromatography with ultraviolet and mass spectrometric detection

Maize (Zea mays) is not considered a major allergenic food; however, when food induced allergenic and immunologic reactions have been implicated to maize, lipid transfer proteins (LTPs) have been identified as major allergens. LTP is an extremely stable protein that is resistant to both proteolytic attack and food processing, which permits the allergen to reach the gastrointestinal immune system in an immunogenic and allergenic conformation, allowing sensitization and induction of systemic symptoms. They are considered a complete food allergen in that they are capable of inducing specific IgE as well as eliciting severe symptoms. We have purified and characterized an endogenous ~9 kDa LTP from maize kernels. The maize LTP consists of 93 amino acid residues and has a M(r) of 9046.1 Da, determined by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Following accurate identification and characterization of maize LTP, a highly specific and quantitative assay using liquid chromatography with ultraviolet and mass spectrometric detection was developed. The present assay enables determination of LTP over a concentration range from 29 to 1030 μg/g in maize kernel samples. Assay recovery (percent relative error, % RE) was measured at 11 different concentrations ranging from 4 to 147 μg/mL and did not exceed 5.1%. The precision (percent coefficient of variation, % CV) was measured at 3 concentrations on each of 4 days and did not exceed 14.4%. The method was applied to evaluate the levels of LTP in 14 different maize lines. To our knowledge, this represents the first quantitative liquid chromatography-ultraviolet/mass spectrometry (LC-UV/MS) assay for the determination of LTP for the assessment of a food allergen.

In vitro digestion of Cry1Ab proteins and analysis of the impact on their immunoreactivity

A pepsin resistance test performed at pH 1.2 and with high pepsin to protein ratio is one of the steps of the weight-of-evidence approach used for assessment of allergenicity of new proteins. However, the use of other in vitro digestibility tests, performed in more physiologically relevant conditions and in combination with immunological assays so as to increase the value of the information gained from the studies of stability of a novel protein to digestion for the overall allergenicity assessment, has been proposed. This study then aimed to investigate the stability to digestion of Cry1Ab protoxin and toxin, insecticidal proteins expressed in genetically modified crops, using simulated gastric fluid (SGF) at different pH values and pepsin-to-substrate ratios, in the presence or absence of physiological surfactant phosphatidylcholine (PC). Electrophoresis and immunoblot patterns and residual immunoreactivity of digesta were analyzed. Although Cry1Ab protoxin is extensively degraded at pH 1.2 with high pepsin-to-protein ratio, it is only slightly degraded at pH 2.0 and conserved its immunoreactivity. Furthermore, Cry1Ab proteins were demonstrated to be stable in a more physiologically relevant in vitro digestibility test (pH 2.5, pepsin-to-substrate ratio 1:20 (w/w) with PC). Factors such as pH, SGF composition, and pepsin-to-substrate ratio then greatly influence the digestion of Cry1Ab proteins, confirming that new and more physiologically relevant in vitro digestibility tests should be also considered to study the relationship between the resistance of a protein to digestion and its allergenicity.

Pepsin degradation of Cry1A(b) protein purified from genetically modified maize (Zea mays)

The aim of this work was to study the in vitro digestion of Cry1A(b) protein by pepsin. To perform this work, a protein fraction purified from transgenic maize by immunoadsorption was employed. The undigested fraction showed several bands of molecular weight ranging between 14 and 70 kDa when assayed by SDS-PAGE. These bands were identified as corresponding to Cry1A(b) protein by immunochemical techniques and mass spectrometry. The rate of degradation of the purified fraction by pepsin estimated by ELISA was found to be about 75% within 30 min, and the protein concentration remained constant up to 4 h. In all treated samples, the full-length protein and fragments present in Cry1A(b) fraction were absent and peptides of less than 8.5 kDa were mainly found by SDS-PAGE and mass spectrometry. These peptides did not react with antiserum against Cry1A(b) protein by Western blotting. These results suggest that Cry1A(b) fraction purified from transgenic maize is rapidly and extensively degraded by pepsin, giving peptides of low molecular mass.

Maize food allergy: lipid-transfer proteins, endochitinases, and alpha-zein precursor are relevant maize allergens in double-blind placebo-controlled maize-challenge-positive patients

Italian patients with maize anaphylaxis have been shown to have IgE toward two major maize allergens: an alpha-amylase inhibitor and a 9-kDa LTP. A complete study on maize food allergens in patients with positive maize double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge (DBPCFC) is lacking. The objective was to utilize the three maize protein fractions to identify and characterize the most relevant IgE-binding proteins recognized by the sera of Italian and Swiss patients with either a positive maize-DBPCFC or a history of maize-induced anaphylaxis. Osborne's protein fractions of maize were extracted to obtain water-soluble, total zein, and total protein fractions. Protein IgE-binding capacity was investigated by SDS-PAGE immunoblotting using the sera from DBPCFC-positive patients and from patients with maize-induced anaphylaxis. Purified maize LTP was used to inhibit the IgE immunoblotting of the three protein fractions. IgE immunoblotting demonstrated that the 9-kDa LTP was recognized by all the Italian patients and by none of the Swiss patients. Other allergens were: 14-kDa alpha-amylase inhibitor, 30-kDa endochitinases A and -B, 19 kDa zein-beta precursor, and 26 kDa zein-alpha precursor; a newly described allergen, the globulin-2 precursor, identified in the total protein fraction. It is noteworthy that maize LTP and endochitinase were cross-reactive with grape LTP and one grape endochitinase. LTP was found to be the only major allergen in Italian patients with either positive maize challenge or a history of maize-induced anaphylaxis. We have identified other maize allergens in subjects with maize food allergy, as grape cross-reactive endochitinase, however, the clinical significance of these proteins needs to be investigated in larger groups of patients with allergy to these food items.