Journal or Publishing Institution: International Scientific Interdisciplinary Conference
Author(s): Kalyan, V.V.
Article Type: Study
Record ID: 1197
Introduction. Advances in biotechnology have resulted in an increasing number of genetically engineered foods, and, among these, soybean is one of the most widespread. Foods produced through agricultural biotechnology should be assessed for their potential health risks, in particular allergenicity. Thymus provides organism response to foreign substance. There are no enough research dates demonstrating histological thymus changes in rats fed on genetically modified soybeans. The purpose of this work is to evaluate thymus cortex thymocytes quantity of the rats fed on genetically modified soybeans.
Materials and methods. Mature female rats were used for the this study. The first group rats (gr. Control) were fed on standard vivarium diet. Diet of the group soya (gr. Soya) females included unmodified kind “Standard” soybeans, what provided 50% of protein requirement. The third rats group (gr. GMO)consumed genetically modified soybeans (kind «Roundup Ready» line 40-3-2, which contains genes cp4epsps and regulatory elements – promoter E35S and terminator NOS). Consumption of specific diet has been lasting for 6 month, after that, animals were removed from the experiment by decapitation under light ether anesthesia at the age of 9 months. The preparing of histological sections was carried out by conventional methods. Histological sections (5-6 µm width) were stained by PAS method. The thymus histological structure has been studied under a microscope “Axiostar plus” (Zeiss, Germany) with magnification x100, x400. The thymus cortex thymocytes quantity has been counted on electron photos in particular square with area of 1200 µm2.
Results. Animals of gr. Control in the thymus histological structure do not have any singes of stimulation or suppression of organ: there are small lobules which consist of a medullary and cortical portion and which are divided by interlobular septums. Each lobule has an outer, darker staining cortex and an inner, paler staining medulla. The stroma is composed of special thymic epithelial cells made network. The thymus histological structure of gr. Soya animals is characterized by signs of stimulation of the gland functioning. In the medullary portion, epithelioreticular cells are coarser than in the gr. Control. There are numerous areas of epithelial cells proliferation – Hassall’s corpuscles which are well represented and formed by active cells. The relative proportion of the cortex in comparison to the medulla is small. It may indicate thymocytes outflow from cortex, what is confirmed by a significantly less cortex thymocytes quantity 54,4 ± 1,7 in comparison with gr. Control animals 62,8 ± 2,1, p <0,01. There is absence of edge between cortex and medulla portions on the thymus sections in the gr. GMO, what may be indicator of thymus atrophy and accidental thymic involution. Cortex is very narrow in comparison with medulla, what may be explained by a significantly less cortex thymocytes quantity 41,7 ± 1,1 compared with gr. Control animals 62,8 ± 2,1, p < 0,001. Against the background of epithelioreticular cells hyperproliferation voids in the medulla appear. Keratinised and cystic changed thymic corpuscles are observed. There are seen some fuchsinphilic collagen fibers in the parenchyma what may indicate thymus sclerosis. There are a lot of macrophages in the medulla. Probable thymic reduction may be confirmed by uneven organ edges of capsule.
Conclusions. Thus, in thymus histological structure of female rats there are signs of stimulation of the organ functioning after long-term consumption of specific diet (unmodified soybeans and genetically modified soybeans) which has been lasting for 6 month. In addition, the usage of genetically modified products has led to overstrain of organism’s defense strength, and morphological confirmation of that is development of accidental thymus involution.
Keywords: GM soy, genetically modified soybeans, genetically engineered soya, Roundup Ready soybean, GTS 40-3-2, rats, feeding, rodent, rodents, rat, thymus, GMO, transgenic, genetically engineered
Citation: Kalyan, V.V., 2014. Thymus Cortex Thymocytes Quantity of the Rats Fed on Genetically Modified Soybeans. 7th International Scientific Interdisciplinary Conference, pp. 22.
