Scientists transplant lungs from a pig to a human

Scientists from Guangzhou Medical University in China have performed the first-ever lung transplant from a pig to a human. The organ remained functional for more than a week after the operation.

According to a study published in the journal Nature Medicine, during the operation, a lung from a pig with six edited genes was transplanted into a 39-year-old male recipient who became brain dead after a cerebral hemorrhage.

First, the scientists edited some of the pig’s genes to remove proteins that can activate the human immune system after the transplant. The researchers transplanted the pig’s left lung into a man who had been declared brain dead in four clinical trials.

The recipient was also given drugs that suppress the immune system, and the lung function and the human immune system response were assessed. As a result, the lung was not immediately rejected by the immune system, maintaining its functionality for nine days.

But scientists observed signs of lung damage 24 hours after transplantation, as well as signs of rejection on days 3 and 6, which led to the termination of the experiment on day 9.

Recall that scientists have created a brain implant that reads thoughts.

To be continued…