The medical center named NYU Langone Health, based in New York City, USA, made statements on the subject yesterday.
“Surgeons transplanted a genetically engineered pig kidney that continued to work well 32 days later, into a man with a beating heart on ventilator support, who was declared dead on neurological criteria,” they said in a statement. “This represents the longest time a genetically modified pig kidney has functioned in a human.” Scientists underlined that the pig kidney started to produce urine immediately after transplantation.
THEY WILL CONTINUE UNTIL SEPTEMBER
Stating that they have taken an important step in organ transplantation and sustainable organ supply, scientists stated that the pig kidney was transplanted to the patient whose body was donated and brain dead on July 14. It was emphasized that the kidney has been functioning well for 32 days and the scientific study will continue until mid-September.
Head of the Surgery Department, who performed the surgery and previously transplanted the first genetically modified pig kidney. “This study shows that with just one genetic modification, without experimental drugs or devices, a pig kidney can function as a human kidney for at least 32 days without rejection,” explained Phil Montgomery.
THEY DISABLED THE GENE RESPONSIBLE FOR ORGAN REJECTION
Scientists underlined that immediate rejection of organs is prevented by ‘deactivating’ the gene encoding the biomolecule known as ‘Alpha-gal’ and found to be responsible for the rapid antibody-mediated rejection of pig organs by humans. (DHA)