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These experiments hold promise for alleviating the chronic shortage of organs for transplantation
Even though sparingly, cloned farm animals are now providing kidneys, hearts, livers, and other organs to save the lives of those who need transplants.
While scientists say it is exciting as research, trials, and executions have been happening for more than 20 years, many people have now become a part of this reality. In the United States, at least 8-10 end-stage patients of various life-threatening illnesses have received kidneys and hearts from pigs.
Who is eligible?
The experts say these experiments hold promise for alleviating the chronic shortage of organs for transplantation. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 100,000 people are on the waiting list for transplants in the United States, and around 17 die daily without getting one because there are not enough human organs available. According to literature published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, kidneys are the most commonly needed organs.
Babies born with serious heart defects might be given a pig’s heart temporarily while waiting for a human donor heart. A pig’s liver could potentially serve as a bridge for those in need of a human liver.
However, it is also stirring concerns about the ethics of using farm animals for their organs and the risks of spreading animal viruses to people.
Addressing a critical need
Also known as xenotransplantation, the transplantation of organs and tissues from other animals has been an idea explored for decades. Transplantations of pig hearts into living patients, and of pig kidneys into brain-dead recipients have made recent headlines.
Safely transplanting organs from animals into humans happens in multiple steps that minimise the risk of the recipient’s immune system rejecting the new organ, which is also a concern with human organ transplants, and to prevent infection and other complications. Scientists say it is not an easy procedure, as many patients have lost their lives after their bodies rejected the transplanted organ.
What are the scientific advancements included in the procedure?
Experts say the most important step involved is genetically modifying the pig organs to be more compatible with humans. The kidneys used in the new surgeries are modified using the gene-editing technology CRISPR-Cas9 to:
- Remove certain pig genes that produce sugars with antibodies our immune systems react to.
- Add certain human genes to improve the kidney’s compatibility with humans.
- Inactivate viruses present in all pig genomes, known as porcine endogenous retroviruses, in the donor pig to eliminate the risk of infection in the recipient.
Why pigs?
Scientists say organs from genetically modified pigs are chosen over other species because they are easier to raise and mature in six months, and the size of their organs is compatible with adult humans.
At various laboratories where experiments are happening, pig cells are collected by clipping notches from the animal’s ear. Scientists edit the DNA in these cells where a few genes are added, and others deleted, while many are altered to suit the human body.
What are the concerns?
Critics of xenotransplantation have been pretty vocal about calling it a pompous endeavour that aims to solve an organ shortage with technology when there is a simpler solution by encouraging more organ donation.
Also, there are many worries about infections that can be transmitted to humans. Pigs carry pathogens like deadly viruses, which critics say could spread with catastrophic consequences. It might be decades before the symptoms are even noticed.
According to the New York Times, a post-mortem on a 51-year-old American man—the first patient to receive a pig’s heart—found a porcine cytomegalovirus in the organ that had not been detected before the transplant, despite rigorous testing. A closely related virus already infects humans.
Also, as of now, it is not clear how much an organ from a genetically engineered pig would cost, and whether insurance plans would cover it.
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