Journal Article

Comparative effects of dietary administered transgenic and conventional papaya on selected intestinal parameters in rat models

Omoruyi, Felix, Tennant, Paula F, Asemota, Helen N, Wheatley, Andrew O, Powell, Melissa, Williams, Nadia P

2010

Overview

Transformation of agricultural crops with novel genes has significantly advanced disease-resistance breeding, including virus resistance through the expression of virus sequences. In this study, the effects of long-term, repeated exposure to transgenic papayas carrying the coat protein gene of Papaya ringspot virus and conventional non-transgenic papaya on the histology and selected biochemical parameters of the intestinal tract were compared. For 3 months, male and female Wistar rats received diets containing transgenic or non-transgenic papaya at twice the equivalent of the average daily consumption of fresh papayas. Gross and macroscopic appearance of intestinal tissues, as well as stomach tissues, was comparable (P < 0.05) as were total intestinal bacterial counts and activities of β-glucuronidase. Activities of disaccharidases were not affected, neither were those of amylase (P < 0.05). Although significant differences were noted in the activity of Ca²⁺ and Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase brush border enzymes, no morphological alteration in the integrity of the intestinal mucosa was found. Overall, negligible effects on feed intake, body weight, and fecal output were observed (P < 0.05). Taken together, long-term exposure to diets formulated with transgenic papaya did not result in biologically important unintended effects.

• Publisher: Dordrecht : Springer Netherlands,Springer Netherlands,Springer,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Adenosinetriphosphatase / adverse effects / Amylase / Amylases / Amylases - metabolism / Animal Feed / Animal Feed - adverse effects / Animal Feed - virology / Animal Genetics and Genomics / Animal models / Animals / beta-glucuronidase / Biological and medical sciences / Biomedical and Life Sciences / Biomedical Engineering/Biotechnology / Biotechnology / Body weight / breeding / Brief Communication / Calcium / Calcium - metabolism / Carica / Carica - genetics / Carica - virology / Carica papaya / chronic exposure / Coat protein / coat proteins / Crops / diet / Diets / Disaccharidase / Disaccharidases / Disaccharidases - metabolism / Disease resistance / Enzymes / enzymology / feed intake / Female / females / Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology / Gastrointestinal Tract / Gastrointestinal Tract - metabolism / Gastrointestinal Tract - pathology / Gastrointestinal Tract - virology / genes / Genetic Engineering / Genetic technics / genetics / Glucuronidase / Glucuronidase - metabolism / histology / histopathology / intestinal mucosa / Intestine / Life Sciences / long term effects / Male / males / metabolism / Methods. Procedures. Technologies / microvilli / Microvilli - enzymology / Molecular Medicine / Mucosa / Na super(+)/Ca super(2+)-exchanging ATPase / Na super(+)/K super(+)-exchanging ATPase / Papaya ringspot virus / papayas / pathology / Plant breeding / Plant Genetics and Genomics / Plants, Genetically Modified / Plants, Genetically Modified - genetics / Plants, Genetically Modified - virology / plate count / Potassium / Potyvirus / Rats / Rats, Wistar / sodium-potassium-exchanging ATPase / Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase - metabolism / Stomach / Transformation / Transgenic animals and transgenic plants / transgenic plants / Transgenics / virology / viruses