The pig’s kidney was “edited with 69 genomes” using CRISPR-Cas9 technology, which consists of eliminating potentially harmful pig genes and then adding human genes to make it compatible with a human body.
A hospital in Boston has announced that it is the first in the world kidney transplant of a pig genetically modified to a 62-year-old patient affected by a kidney disease in terminal phase.
The patient, identified as Richard “Rick” Slayman, a resident of Weymouth, Massachusetts,recovers well and will be discharged shortly,” the hospital said.
Massachusetts General Hospital explained in a statement that the operation took place on March 16 and lasted four hours, which they consider “a first-class milestone” in the quest to quickly make organs available to patients.
He pig kidney used to be “edited with 69 genomes” through the use of CRISPR-Cas9 technology, which consists of eliminating potentially harmful pig genes and then adding human genes to make it compatible with a human body; In addition, the scientists deactivated endogenous pig retroviruses to minimize possible infections.
The donor pig was provided by a Massachusetts company called eGenesis, which specializes in transplants and the modification of animal organisms to make them compatible with humans, in a process known as “xenotransplantation” according to its web portal.
Patient Slayman, who had suffered from type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure for years, received a human kidney in December 2018, but five years later the transplanted kidney caused him problems and he had to return to dialysis, which caused vascular problems. he has to undergo a hospital check-up every two weeks, which has a major impact on his personal life.
Source: EITB
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