Using human-severe combined immunodeficiency (hu-SCID) mice as a model for testing allergenicity of genetically modified organisms (GMOs)

Methods Our aim in this study was to establish a humanized mouse model to study GMOs by adoptively transferring peripheral blood mononuclear cells from AAI-specific IgE-positive legume allergic and non-allergic individuals into SCID mice. These mice were then gavaged twice weekly for 1 month with GM pea, non-transgenic pea and Tendergreen bean seed meal suspensions or PBS. Subsequently, mice were administered 1 dose of the purified AAI protein or PBS intranasally as a read out for an in vivo allergic response. Seventy-two hours later, no eosinophilia or mucus hypersecretion were observed in the lungs of mice treated with PBS or fed the non-transgenic peas.