ABSTRACT 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.

中文翻译：

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抗体作为转基因作物暴露的流行病学标志物：检测 Cry1Ab 特异性 IgG

摘要 转基因 (GM) 作物的安全性日益受到关注。转基因作物的一个重要修饰是苏云金芽孢杆菌 (Bt) 蛋白 Cry1Ab 的表达。动物接触 Cry1Ab 表明该蛋白质是安全的，但具有免疫原性。Cry1Ab 是否是一种人类免疫原，以及对这种蛋白质的抗体反应是否可以作为高度接触转基因作物的标志物是未知的。在这里，我们开发了一种酶联免疫吸附试验，以检测生活在三个国家（巴布亚新几内亚 (PNG)，低暴露；肯尼亚，中等暴露）中的每一个的 100 个人中 Cry1Ab 特异性 IgG 的存在; 和美国，高曝光）。在生活在每个地区（8%，美国；3%，PNG；2%，肯尼亚）的个体中检测到 Cry1Ab 特异性 IgG 抗体。因此，