In the past weeks, two xenotransplantations were successfully performed. These xenotransplantations involved a genetically-modified pig heart and pig kidneys. But why and how were the xenotransplants made? Let's find out!
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Xenotransplantations are transplants from from species to another. Scientists try to perform xenotransplantations due to the ongoing organ shortage crisis. First attempts of xenotransplantations involve when French doctor Jean-Baptiste Denys' attempts to perform lamb blood transfusions on a boy. This was not successful, however, first xenotransplantts were conducted in 1963/1964 by Reemtsam. Reemtsam transplanted chimpanzee xenotransplants into terminally ill patients. Later, pig xenotransplants were preferred but it became clear that they are rejected quickly by the patients body (since there are galactose-α1,3-galactose sugars among other compounds on the surface of pig xenotransplants). Scientists need to genetically engineer pig xenotransplants to trick the immune system.
First successful attempts of making genetically engineered xenotransplants were done by destroying the gene which makes galactose-α1,3-galactose and by giving CRP (a human gene) to pig xenotransplants. The size of the xenotransplant was also decreased by destroying GHR and some scientists attempted to remove all pig endogenous retroviruses. With the dawn of CRISPR/Cas9 multiple genetic modifications could be done at the same time. CRISPR Cas9 is based on a guideRNA which leads the Cas9 protein to a gene which is then destroyed. In 2022, pig xenotransplants with 10 genetic modifications were transplanted into two patients. Pig kidneys made urine for a couple of days, while a transplanted pig heart still beats in the chest of a patient.
There are some ethical questions when we talk about pig xenotransplants. Pigs are sacrificed to make xenotransplants and have to be raised in a sterile environment. There also has been some debate concerning who should receive xenotransplants. Overall, xenotransplants might provide a temporary or permanent solution to the organ shortage crisis.
Chapters:
0:00-0:32 Intro
0:32-3:11 Early Xenotransplantation Attempts
3:11-7:01 Destroying One Gene at a Time
7:01-9:38 2022: First Successful Xenotransplantations!
9:38-11:55 Ethical Issues
References:
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Images:
Videos were derived from pixabay.com and pexels.com.
Some pictures were derived from Servier Medical Art by Servier. You can find over 3000 free medical images here: [ Ссылка ]
Heart by Patrick J. Lynch CC BY-SA 4.0
Medawar by Digitised CC BY-SA 4.0
focal segmental glomerulosclerosis by Nephron CC BY-SA 3.0
mes Watson and Francis Crick in 1953 by Barrington Brown/Science Photo Library
Rosalind Franklin by MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, BY-SA 4.0
CRISPR Cas9 by marius walter, BY-SA 4.0
PCR by Rkalendar, CC BY-SA 3.0
Epigenetic Landscape by UQstudent44800491, BY-SA 4.0
Jennifer Doudna by The Royal Society, BY-SA 4.0 (modified)
Emmanuelle Charpentier by Relaxnews, BY-SA 4.0 (modified)
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About Clemens Steinek:
CLEMENS STEINEK is a PhD student/youtuber (LifeLabLearner) who is currently conducting epigenetics and stem cell research in Germany.
