Reacción a "Reactions to kidney transplant from genetically modified pigs to brain-dead man "

Xenotransplantation is the process of transplanting donor tissue of animal origin into a human recipient.  

The process has been explored for many years as a means of addressing the critical shortage of human organs available for transplantation.  

Xenotransplantation has, historically, largely failed due to hyperacute rejection following surgery, even with the use of immunosuppressive drugs used to control this process.  

To address this failure for kidney xenografting, investigators have removed four genes of porcine (pig) origin and added six transgene insertions to regulate the rejection process and maintain normal kidney function. 

The current study involved only one brain-dead patient with chronic kidney failure as a first step to demonstrate that the 10-gene-edited pig kidneys can function normally when transplanted to remove creatinine over a 7-day period.  

Creatinine is a breakdown product of creatine from muscle and protein metabolism.  

Measurement of creatinine is an indication of kidney function and ability to filter waste from blood.  

The investigators were also able to demonstrate that there was no evidence of microscopic blood clot formation in the xenografted kidneys which is another indicator of normal kidney function.  

This case study provides important preliminary evidence that these genetically modified kidneys can function normally following xenotransplantation and offers hope to those on waiting lists for kidney transplantation.