Republished study: long-term toxicity of a Roundup herbicide and a Roundup-tolerantgenetically modified maize

Abstract

BackgroundThe health effects of a Roundup-tolerant NK603 genetically modified (GM) maize (from 11% in the diet), cultivated with or without Roundup application and Roundup alone (from 0.1 ppb of the full pesticide containing glyphosate and adjuvants) in drinking water, were evaluated for 2 years in rats. This study constitutes a follow-up investigation of a 90-day feeding study conducted by Monsanto in order to obtain commercial release of this GMO, employing the same rat strain and analyzing biochemical parameters on the same number of animals per group as our investigation. Our research represents the first chronic study on these substances, in which all observations including tumors are reported chronologically. Thus, it was not designed as a carcinogenicity study. We report the major findings with 34 organs observed and 56 parameters analyzed at 11 time points for most organs.ResultsBiochemical analyses confirmed very significant chronic kidney deficiencies, for all treatments and both sexes; 76% of the altered parameters were kidney-related. In treated males, liver congestions and necrosis were 2.5 to 5.5 times higher. Marked and severe nephropathies were also generally 1.3 to 2.3 times greater. In females, all treatment groups showed a two- to threefold increase in mortality, and deaths were earlier. This difference was also evident in three male groups fed with GM maize. All results were hormone- and sex-dependent, and the pathological profiles were comparable. Females developed large mammary tumors more frequently and before controls; the pituitary was the second most disabled organ; the sex hormonal balance was modified by consumption of GM maize and Roundup treatments. Males presented up to four times more large palpable tumors starting 600 days earlier than in the control group, in which only one tumor was noted. These results may be explained by not only the non-linear endocrine-disrupting effects of Roundup but also by the overexpression of the EPSPS transgene or other mutational effects in the GM maize and their metabolic consequences.ConclusionOur findings imply that long-term (2 year) feeding trials need to be conducted to thoroughly evaluate the safety of GM foods and pesticides in their full commercial formulations.

Death as a Drug Side Effect in FAERS: Is Glyphosate Contamination a Factor?

“…Mesnage et al [42] identified over 4000 genes related to liver and kidney function whose expression rates were significantly altered, and this was consistent with anatomical and histological changes as well as blood and urine biochemical pathologies identified by Séra-liniet al for rats similarly exposed [43]. Mesnage et al [42] wrote in the abstract: "Observed alterations in gene expression were consistent with fibrosis, necrosis, phospholipidosis, mitochondrial membrane dysfunction and ischemia."…”

“…Such a complex would be very similar to bisphosphonates in that both molecules contain two phosphonyl groups. Glyphosate has been linked to multiple myeloma [67] and to multiple other cancers and therefore to chemotherapy [33] [34], and there is strong support in the literature for glyphosate causing renal impairment [28] [43]. Low plasma proteins, such as serum albumin and transferrin, are associated with pulmonary vascular permeability [68].…”

“…Kids born from goats fed GM RR soy had elevated liver expression of GGT [115]. GGT was found to be enhanced up to 5.4-fold in the liver in Séralini et al's long-term study of rats exposed to GMO's plus Roundup ® [43]. Lum and Gambino found extremely high levels of GGT in cases of acute pancreatitis, primary carcinoma of the head of the pancreas, and adenocarcinoma of the bile duct [113].…”

Possible mechanisms of development of carcinoma of breast in patients with early-onset cataract

“…25 Glyphosate also impairs metabolism of toxic phenolic compounds such as nonylphenols, diethylstilbestrol, and bisphenol A; all widely recognized to possess estrogenic activity, thus having an indirect potential impact on increasing risk of breast cancer. 20 Use of glyphosate possesses a real possible risk linking development of BC and EOC.…”

On glyphosate

“…Originally, these findings appeared in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology in September 2012, but the paper was retracted by the journal's editor in November 2013. The paper republished a year later (Seralini et al, 2014). Recently, glyphosate was shown to induce birth defects in rats (Guerrero Schimpf et al, 2016) and was suggested (without experimental evidence) to produce DNA and epigenetic effects (Nardemir et al, 2015), and to act as the analogue of the amino acid glycine to replace it in diverse proteins (Samsel and Seneff, 2016).…”