The first genetically modified pig kidney transplant was performed on a human
The result of an operation carried out by New York University: it could represent a turning point in animal-to-human transplants and start new experiments
Photo: National Cancer Institute | Unsplash On 25 September, a genetically modified pig kidney transplant was performed on a human being for the first time and proved to be a success. A team of surgeons from New York University, reported the US media, has experimented with the implantation of the pig organ, duly modified to avoid rejection phenomena, in a woman kept alive artificially with signs of renal dysfunction, behind the consent of his family members. The new kidney began to function immediately, without giving rise to problems related to rejection. This result, which has yet to undergo the peer review process, could pave the way for new experiments, and feeds hopes for a future in which the demand for new organs to be transplanted can match the supply.From animals to humans
Xenotransplantation: this is the name of the procedure that involves the transplantation, implantation or infusion in a human recipient of cells, tissues or organs from an animal. The history of xenotransplantation in medicine is long: the first attempts to use animal blood for transfusions date back to the seventeenth century, albeit with little success. Centuries later, transplants from animals to humans have not stopped being studied, especially because, year after year, the demand for human organs for clinical transplantation far exceeds the actual supply.Over the decades, pigs have proven to be the best candidates for addressing the shortage of transplant organs: thanks to numerous experiments, these animals have been shown to have several advantages over primates - other possible candidates for this purpose - such as larger litters, short gestation periods and organs in size and structure comparable to human ones.
When it comes to xenografts, however, the risk of failure is around the corner: it is necessary, in fact , eliminate the so-called hyperacute rejection, the body's first line of defense against transplantation between different species. In particular, pig cells present on their surface a molecule made of sugars, which our immune system recognizes as foreign to the transplanted organs, attacking them and triggering rejection.
To overcome this obstacle, regenerative medicine is focusing entirely on organs deriving from genetically modified animals, which have the characteristics that do not activate the immune response of the recipient. For example, the biotech company specializing in regenerative medicine Revivicor has produced genetically modified pork kidneys, in which the offending sugar molecule is absent from all cells: organs of this type should not induce rejection.
A breakthrough in organ transplantation
To verify the effective applicability of such a xenograft, the team of surgeons at New York University, led by Robert Montgomery, implanted the genetically modified pig kidney in a patient declared brain dead but kept alive by machines, keeping him under observation and monitoring his function for two days. The patient had indicated that she wanted to donate the organs, but, since they did not meet the required criteria, the family members agreed to the doctors to proceed with the experiment. The result was that the new kidney began to function without triggering rejection."This is a pivotal moment in organ transplantation," Montgomery said in an interview with CBS Evening News, in which he stated that the success of the procedure exceeded everyone's expectations. "There was complete silence for a few minutes while we were observing what we were looking at, which was incredible", continues the surgeon, speaking of the operation: "The Renesi is immediately put into operation".
The experiment, which - we recall - has not yet been published in a scientific journal or subjected to the peer review process, could give way to trials on patients with end-stage renal failure. According to Montgomery, as Reuters reports, these studies could test xenotransplantation as a short-term solution for patients on the waiting list until a human kidney is available, or as a permanent transplant. At the moment, in fact, in the United States, ten patients die every day while they are on the waiting list to receive a transplant. In Italy, according to the Ministry of Health, to date there are 8,295 people waiting to receive an organ transplant: the average times that a patient has to wait are variable, but they reach 3 years and 4 months for those who need a kidney transplant.
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Topics
Animals Bioethics Genetics Health globalData.fldTopic = "Animals, Bioethics, Genetics, Health "
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