In China, surgeons successfully transplanted the kidney of a pig with numerous gene modifications into a brain-dead human patient. According to reports, the transplant has been “working continuously for 13 days.”
The transplanted kidney has been working continuously for 13 days
This was the first-of-its-kind operation in China, following similar transplants in the United States.
A team of surgeons performed the procedure on March 25 after successfully performing a pig liver transplant just a few weeks prior.
“As of April 7, the transplanted kidney has been working continuously for 13 days,” Qin Weijun, director of the Air Force Medical University Xijing Hospital, told Science and Technology Daily on Monday.
“It is functioning well in the recipient’s body and producing urine normally.”
To do this, scientists used CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology to insert two human genes into the pig used in the transplant. The researchers also deleted three pig genes that can trigger hyperacute rejection, according to the institution.
In both situations (pig kidney and liver transplant), the patient’s families agreed to the treatment to help advance medical science.
Why are xenogenic transplants important?
According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), millions of patients in China suffer from end-stage kidney disease each year, with the only option being a kidney transplant. Yet, only approximately 10,000 transplants take place, according to the Air Force Medical University’s Department of Urology in a WeChat post last week.
In this case, xenogenic transplants from one species to another provide a solution. Pigs, who have a similar metabolism and organ sizes to humans, are the first choice, as the US Food and Drug Administration has prohibited the use of monkeys because of concerns about disease transmission.
According to the paper, these transplants increase the risk of acute rejection and the spread of infectious illnesses from the donor animal to humans. Another worry expressed by the animal rights movement is how these transplants violate animals’ rights.