Post by account_disabled on Mar 4, 2024 22:44:43 GMT -5
It is a sad reality. There are not enough donor kidneys available for everyone who needs them. But scientists hope that pig kidneys can help alleviate the shortage, although they must first ensure that the organs can continue to function after transplant . In a step toward that goal, Massachusetts-based biotechnology company eGenesis reports today that a genetically modified pig kidney worked in a monkey for more than two years . The results appear in the journal Nature .
What are the kidneys for?
The kidneys remove waste, produce urine, and balance the body's fluids. In the United States alone, nearly , people are waiting for a kidney donation , according to data from the Federal Organ Procur Chinese Overseas Asia Number Data ement and Transplantation Network. In , only about , people received one.
If the kidneys stop working, people need to use a dialysis machine to remove excess fluid and water from the blood. Once on dialysis, about half of patients die within five years. "The global burden of kidney disease is staggering," said Mike Curtis, CEO of eGenesis. "Interspecies transplantation offers the most sustainable, scalable and feasible approach to generating new sources of organs."
The idea of transplanting organs from animals into people, known as xenotransplantation, dates back at least a few hundred years . In the s, doctors began transplanting kidneys from baboons and chimpanzees into people, but the organs typically failed within days or weeks due to immune rejection or infection. In the s, scientists turned to pigs as potential donors because their organs are closer in size to humans and these animals are already bred. However, their organs are not compatible with the human body and even with immunosuppressive drugs they would be quickly rejected. Now, scientists are using genetic engineering to make pig organs more suitable for people.
Organ transplants from genetically modified animals
According to the Nature article , eGenesis scientists used the gene editing tool, Crispr , to perform different combinations of edits on donor pigs. Some edits disabled three genes involved in hyperacute rejection, which occurs minutes after a transplant when the recipient's immune system recognizes the new organ as foreign. Others turned off these three genes and added seven human genes that regulate inflammation, immunity and blood clotting. The scientists then transplanted the gene-edited pig kidneys into monkeys that had their own kidneys removed.
Kidneys from donors with human genes survived seven times longer than those with only the three pig genes removed, an average of days versus This suggests that adding human genes offers some protection against rejection, so according to the authors of the study. The oldest monkey, which survived days after transplant, received kidneys that had human genes added . "Animals tolerate these organs very well," Curtis points out.
Monkeys are often used in research as substitutes for people due to their biological similarities. But Curtis anticipates that the transplant results for people will be even better, since the organs are edited with the human immune system in mind. Additionally, people are better at following medical advice to recover after surgery. Curtis says the initial goal of his company is to get pig kidneys that will last at least three years in people . However, he hopes they will ultimately continue working for much longer.
What are the kidneys for?
The kidneys remove waste, produce urine, and balance the body's fluids. In the United States alone, nearly , people are waiting for a kidney donation , according to data from the Federal Organ Procur Chinese Overseas Asia Number Data ement and Transplantation Network. In , only about , people received one.
If the kidneys stop working, people need to use a dialysis machine to remove excess fluid and water from the blood. Once on dialysis, about half of patients die within five years. "The global burden of kidney disease is staggering," said Mike Curtis, CEO of eGenesis. "Interspecies transplantation offers the most sustainable, scalable and feasible approach to generating new sources of organs."
The idea of transplanting organs from animals into people, known as xenotransplantation, dates back at least a few hundred years . In the s, doctors began transplanting kidneys from baboons and chimpanzees into people, but the organs typically failed within days or weeks due to immune rejection or infection. In the s, scientists turned to pigs as potential donors because their organs are closer in size to humans and these animals are already bred. However, their organs are not compatible with the human body and even with immunosuppressive drugs they would be quickly rejected. Now, scientists are using genetic engineering to make pig organs more suitable for people.
Organ transplants from genetically modified animals
According to the Nature article , eGenesis scientists used the gene editing tool, Crispr , to perform different combinations of edits on donor pigs. Some edits disabled three genes involved in hyperacute rejection, which occurs minutes after a transplant when the recipient's immune system recognizes the new organ as foreign. Others turned off these three genes and added seven human genes that regulate inflammation, immunity and blood clotting. The scientists then transplanted the gene-edited pig kidneys into monkeys that had their own kidneys removed.
Kidneys from donors with human genes survived seven times longer than those with only the three pig genes removed, an average of days versus This suggests that adding human genes offers some protection against rejection, so according to the authors of the study. The oldest monkey, which survived days after transplant, received kidneys that had human genes added . "Animals tolerate these organs very well," Curtis points out.
Monkeys are often used in research as substitutes for people due to their biological similarities. But Curtis anticipates that the transplant results for people will be even better, since the organs are edited with the human immune system in mind. Additionally, people are better at following medical advice to recover after surgery. Curtis says the initial goal of his company is to get pig kidneys that will last at least three years in people . However, he hopes they will ultimately continue working for much longer.