Major medical win! Surgeons from the Chinese mainland’s First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University just performed the world’s first transplant of a gene-edited pig liver into a live human, and the patient lived for 171 days! 🚀
Genetic teams at Yunnan Agricultural University on the Chinese mainland tweaked the pig’s DNA by knocking out three pig genes that trigger instant rejection and inserting seven human genes to boost immune acceptance and prevent blood clots. 🔬🧬
On May 17, 2024, a 71-year-old patient with an inoperable liver tumor received the pig liver as an auxiliary organ—think of it as a backup engine working alongside the original. For the first month, everything ran smoothly: no acute rejection, and the organ functioned like a champ. 💪
Earlier in April, a team at the Chinese mainland’s Xijing Hospital of the Air Force Medical University in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, had also transplanted a gene-edited pig liver into a brain-dead patient—paving the way for this live case.👌
By day 38, doctors spotted tiny blood clots in the graft and had to remove the auxiliary liver. The patient later faced complications and passed away on day 171. Despite this, the case proves a gene-edited pig liver can support human health for months. 📈
Why it matters: xenotransplantation—moving organs across species—is now more than sci-fi. It offers a bridge therapy, keeping patients alive while they wait for human donors. This proof-of-concept opens doors for next-gen transplant solutions. 🌉❤️
This is just the beginning—imagine unlocking a new level in your favorite mobile game but with real-world impact. Stay tuned as biotech keeps breaking boundaries! 🔥
Reference(s):
World's first human with gene-edited pig liver survived for months
cgtn.com
