During a human preclinical trial in 2021, scientists at the University of Alabama at Birmingham transplanted kidneys from genetically modified pigs into a brain-dead patient, according to Science Daily.
Genetically Modified Kidneys Transplanted to a Brain-Dead Patient
Recently, UAB surgeons successfully transplanted kidneys from a genetically engineered pig into a brain-dead man, according to Interesting engineering.
NYU Langone Health surgeons linked a genetically engineered pig's kidney to a brain-dead patient on a ventilator in September. The kidney produces urine and creatinine, a waste product, even though it was outside the body.
Genetically engineered kidneys have been widely tested in non-human primate recipients, but evaluating them in humans before clinical trials can also provide crucial information regarding the safety and efficacy of these transplanted organs, as explained by Science Daily.
This particular patient was critically injured during a motorbike race, and his family agreed to allow him to be kept alive on a ventilator for the duration of the treatment, according to an article in New Scientist. Instead of attaching kidneys externally to the body as in earlier procedures, these recipients had their kidneys removed and replaced with pig-derived kidneys.
Four genes that could potentially induce rejection by the human immune system are turned off in these pigs; six genes of human origin are inserted to aid in the transplant process, as has been documented previously.
According to ScienceDaily, the kidneys from the pigs were transplanted into the same anatomical location as human kidneys, connected to the renal artery and vein, as well as the urinary ureter, and given standard immunosuppression medication to the recipient.
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Experimental Findings
The doctors monitored the transplant for 77 hours and it was successful to start generating urine after 23 minutes of attachment, Jayme Locke, who performed the technique, said in an interview with New Scientist. Creatinine was not removed from the body, which the experts believe is what caused the recipient's problems.
For three days following surgery, the pig kidneys worked as expected, according to the surgical team, though one kidney produced more urine than the other. Even after the patients' own kidneys were removed, the pig organs showed no evidence of rejection.
A modest clinical trial involving real patients, which is expected to begin before the year's end, has been laid out by the team's chief surgeon, Dr. Jayme Locke. Not every operation that has taken place thus far has been a regular trial.
When it comes to kidney transplants, "Our goal is not to have a one-off, but to advance the field to help our patients," said Dr. Locke, who is director of U.A.B. 's Incompatible Kidney Transplant Program. "What a wonderful day it will be when I can walk into clinic and know I have a kidney for everyone waiting to see me"
The experiment's findings were published in the American Journal of Transplantation just recently, according to the authors.
Increase in Chronic Renal Diseases Across United States
Every year, kidney disease claims more lives in the United States than does cancer of the breast or prostate.
In addition, an estimated 240 Americans per day die while on dialysis in anticipation of a kidney transplant, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The researchers determined that genetically engineered kidneys can be utilized to overcome the deficit.
In Alabama, there are 2,348 cases of chronic renal disease per million people. People of color, women, and those with a lower level of education and wealth are more likely to suffer from kidney disease than the general population.
Related Article: Wild Pigs Contribute As Much CO2 Emissions Than 1.1 Million Cars
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