Hematotoxicity and genotoxicity evaluations in Swiss mice intraperitoneally exposed to Bacillus thuringiensis (var kurstaki) spore crystals genetically modified to express individually Cry1Aa, Cry1Ab, Cry1Ac, or Cry2Aa.

Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) has been widely used in foliar sprays as part of integrated pest management strategies against insect pests of agricultural crops. Since the advent of genetically modified plants expressing Bt δ-endotoxins, the bioavailability of Cry proteins has increased, and therefore for biosafety reasons their adverse effects should be studied, mainly for nontarget organisms. We evaluated, in Swiss mice, the hematotoxicity and genotoxicity of the genetically modified strains of Bt spore crystals Cry1Aa, 1Ab, 1Ac, or 2Aa at 27 mg/kg, and Cry1Aa, 1Ab and 2Aa also at 136 and 270 mg/kg, administered with a single intraperitoneal injection 24 h before euthanasia. Controls received filtered water or cyclophosphamide. Blood samples collected by cardiac puncture were used to perform hemogram, and bone marrow was extracted for the micronucleus test. Bt spore crystals presented toxicity for lymphocytes when in higher doses, which varied according to the type of spore crystal studied, besides promoting cytotoxic and genotoxic effects for the erythroid lineage of bone marrow, mainly at highest doses. Although the profile of such adverse side effects can be related to their high level of exposure, which is not commonly found in the environment, results indicated that these Bt spore crystals were not harmless to mice. This suggests that a more specific approach should be taken to increase knowledge about their toxicological properties and to establish the toxicological risks to nontarget organisms. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 31: 970-978, 2016.

Evaluation of cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and hematotoxicity of the recombinant spore-crystal complexes Cry1Ia, Cry10Aa and Cry1Ba6 from Bacillus thuringiensis in Swiss mice.

The insecticidal properties of Cry-endotoxins from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) have long been used as spore-crystals in commercial spray formulations for insect control. Recently, some Bt-endotoxin genes have been cloned in many different plants. Toxicological evaluations of three spore-crystal endotoxins, BtCry1Ia, BtCry10Aa and BtCry1Ba6 from B. thuringiensis, were carried out on mice to understand their adverse effects on hematological systems and on genetic material. These three spore-crystals have shown toxic activity to the boll weevil, which is one of the most aggressive pests of the cotton crop. Cry1Ia, Cry10Aa and Cry1Ba6 did not increase the micronucleus frequency in the peripheral erythrocytes of mice and did not cause changes in the frequency of polychromatic erythrocytes. However, some hematologic disburbances were observed, specifically related to Cry1Ia and Cry1Ba6, respectively, for the erythroid and lymphoid lineage. Thus, although the profile of such adverse side effects can be related to their high level of exposure, which is not commonly found in the environment, results showed that these Bt spore-crystals were not harmless to mice, indicating that each spore-crystal endotoxin presents a characteristic profile of toxicity and might be investigated individually.

WITHDRAWN: Effects of oral administration of Bacillus thuringiensis as spore-crystal strains Cry1Aa, Cry1Ab, Cry1Ac or Cry2Aa on hematologic and genotoxic endpoints of Swiss albino mice.

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