In a groundbreaking advancement for medical science, surgeons in China have successfully conducted the first transplant of a gene-edited pig liver into a human patient. This historic procedure took place on May 17, 2024, and the patient, a 71-year-old man, survived for 171 days following the operation.
The significant achievement was documented in a recent edition of the Journal of Hepatology. The surgical team, based at the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, collaborated with researchers from Yunnan Agricultural University to develop the genetically modified pig liver. This innovative transplant aims to mitigate the persistent shortage of human donor organs.
The donor pig underwent ten genetic modifications, which included the removal of three genes associated with quick antibody-mediated rejection in pigs and the introduction of seven human genes to enhance immune acceptance and minimize blood clotting issues, as detailed in the study.
The operation involved transplanting the engineered pig liver as an “auxiliary” organ, meaning it was intended to support the functionality of the patient”s own liver, which was compromised due to a tumor that could not be surgically excised. This milestone followed another notable procedure earlier in April 2024, where a different team of Chinese researchers transplanted a genetically altered pig liver into a brain-dead patient at Xijing Hospital of the Air Force Medical University in Xi”an City.
Initially, the results of the recent transplant were encouraging. For the first 31 days post-surgery, the patient exhibited no signs of acute rejection, and the pig liver functioned effectively. However, complications arose on day 38 when the patient developed a severe condition characterized by blood clots in the small vessels of the transplanted liver. Consequently, the medical team decided to remove the auxiliary organ.
In the following weeks, the patient experienced recurrent upper gastrointestinal bleeding and sadly passed away on day 171. Although the patient”s survival was ultimately limited, this case demonstrates the promising feasibility of utilizing a pig liver to support a human patient for a clinically relevant duration.
This achievement positions xenotransplantation—transplantation from one species to another—as a potential interim solution for individuals awaiting human liver transplants. A review article published in the journal remarked, “This operation does not yet open the door to widespread clinical use of pig livers. But it does establish proof-of-concept that such grafts can function in humans.”
