Advancements in xenotransplantation, the use of non-human organs to treat medical conditions in humans, have been made by two separate research teams. These advancements involve transplanting pig kidneys into humans and have been described as key steps forward in the field.
Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine found that transplanted pig kidneys not only produced urine but also provided the function of filtering waste. This research was published in JAMA Surgery. Additionally, a team from New York University Langone Health highlighted the longer-term success of a pig kidney transplant in an ongoing study.
Both research teams used genetically modified pig kidneys in their transplants, which were performed on recipients experiencing brain death in pre-clinical human research settings. One of the main challenges in using pig kidneys for transplantation is the variation in the waste product creatinine. This chemical comes from a compound that provides energy to muscles, and the amount of creatinine can vary based on muscle mass. Human adult bodies are much larger than those of other primates, so it was crucial to demonstrate that the pig kidneys could clear creatinine in adult humans.
Dr. Jayme Locke, director of UAB’s Comprehensive Transplant Institute and lead author of the research, emphasized the importance of showing that the transplanted pig kidneys could clear creatinine and function like human kidneys. In the UAB study, a 52-year-old man with hypertension and chronic kidney disease received a pig kidney transplant. His serum creatinine levels, which indicate kidney function, drastically improved within 24 hours of the transplant and remained in the normal range throughout the seven-day study.
The researchers from NYU Langone have been monitoring pig kidney transplants in a brain-dead individual for nearly two months. Dr. Robert Montgomery, director of the NYU Langone Transplant Institute, stated that there has been no evidence of rejection and the pig kidney appears to perform all the important tasks managed by the human kidney. However, more research is needed, including studies in living human recipients, to determine if pig kidney transplants could be a viable treatment option for end-stage kidney disease.
The advancements made by these research teams are particularly significant considering the high demand for kidney transplants. According to data from the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, approximately 89,000 people are currently on the waiting list for a kidney transplant.
Overall, these developments in xenotransplantation bring the medical community closer to potentially providing more effective treatment options for individuals with kidney disease. The successful transplantation of pig kidneys into humans could offer hope to those on the waiting list for a kidney transplant and potentially alleviate the shortage of available organs.