Xenotransplantation: Where Are We with Potential Kidney Recipients? Recent Progress and Potential Future Clinical Trials

AbstractPurposeInterspecies transplantation, xenotransplantation, is becoming a realistic strategy to solve the organ shortage crisis. Here, we focus on seminal publications that have driven research in xenotransplantation, as well as recently published literature and future endeavors.Recent FindingsAdvances in gene editing technology have allowed for the efficient production of multitransgenic porcine donors leading improved xenograft survival in baboons, up to 2  years following heterotopic heart xenotransplantation and from weeks to several months following life-supporting kidney xenotransplanation. As technology evolves, additional challenges have arisen, including the development of proteinuria, early graft loss associated with porcine CMV, disparities in organ growth between donors and recipients, as well as high-dose continuous immunosuppression requirements. To address these issues, our laboratory developed a tolerance-inducing protocol which has allowed for>6-month survival of a life-supporting kidney with further approaches currently underway to address the challenges mentioned above.SummaryOur recent findings, reviewed in this article, led us to develop methods to overcome obstacles, which, in conjunction with the work of others, are promising for future clinical applications of xenotransplantation.
Source: Current Transplantation Reports - Category: Transplant Surgery Source Type: research