Clinical xenotransplantation

Abstract

The growing numerical gap between the number of patients and available human donor organs have led to a revival interest in xenotransplantation. This review will mainly focus on the clinical affairs of xenotransplantation and the project of producing the gene modified pigs. Trials, designed to overcome xenogenic rejection by the expression of human complement regulatory protein (CRP), such as DAF (CD55), on the pig organ and knocking out the α-Gal epitope(Ga1α1-3Ga1α1-4G1cNAc-R), which is biosynthesized by the action of α1,3 galactosyltransferase (α1,3GT), were accomplished in several institutes, such as Harvard University, Pittsburgh University, Mayo Clinic, and BresaGen. We have also produced the [DAF (CD55) + GnT-III + α-Gal KO] pigs in last year. On the other hand, the clinical pig islets transplantation was done in many countries, such as Russia, Sweden, Mexico and China, until 2005. In addition, the new clinical trials of pig islets transplantation will be started in USA within three years. In addition, as the current studies in the xenotransplantation ield, the strategies for the downregulation of the glycoantigen, complement activation, NK cell, and other immuno responces on the xenografts, are reviewed. The studies for the infectivity of porcine endogenous retrovirus (PERV) to human cells are also introduced. © 2007, The Japan Society for Clinical Immunology. All rights reserved.