Scientists from the company PorMedTec, from Meiji University (Japan), created for the first time modified pigs for cell and organ transplants in humans. The project takes place in partnership with the American biotechnology company eGenesis.
The team that led xenotransplantation research – between different species – reported in a statement that three genetically modified piglets were born on the second Sunday of February especially to create cells and organs destined for transplants into humans.
Responding to scarcity
According to the company, Japan suffers from a shortage of organ donors and in recent years “only about 3% of people who requested a transplant received one”, which “raises expectations about the clinical application of organ transplants xenogenic”.
According to the online version of the Japanese weekly Nikkei Asia, there are plans to carry out clinical tests for transplants between pig and human species from 2025 onwards, with kidney transplantation being one of the first objectives.
“We hope to use this as an opportunity to consider the challenges of human organ transplantation,” PorMedTec founder and chief scientist Hiroshi Nagashima said in a statement.
Modified genes
The pigs were cloned from another individual developed by eGenesis that had 10 genes modified to reduce the risk of rejection by a human recipient.
PorMedTec created the piglets using somatic cell nuclear transfer technology, those responsible for the growth of tissues and organs in multicellular organisms, to create genetically identical individuals.
The fertilized eggs were transplanted into the uterus of a surrogate mother, who gave birth to the three pigs via cesarean section. And when it is confirmed that they develop satisfactorily, the animals will be supplied to medical institutions in Japan for clinical research.
The next step for the team of scientists will be to begin research into xenotransplantation from pigs to monkeys this year, to advance the solution to the shortage of organ donors in Japan.
“With the birth of a cloned individual in Japan, there is hope for clinical application in Japan in the future,” concluded PorMedTec in the statement.
