First CRISPR-edited pig lung transplant in brain-dead patient

A team in Guangzhou has conducted the first documented pig-to-human lung transplant using a genetically modified pig lung transplanted into a brain-dead patient, marking a cautious but notable milestone in xenotransplantation. The left lung from a CRISPR-edited pig was transplanted into a 39-year-old man who had been declared braindead after a brain hemorrhage, while his native right lung was left in place. The organ remained viable for nine days, but signs of inflammation and antibody-mediated rejection emerged within days, and the experiment was terminated at the family’s request. The researchers say the work provides a critical test of immune compatibility and surgical feasibility, while underscoring that the procedure is not ready for clinical use.

The donor pig was a genetically engineered Bama Xiang pig raised in a pathogen-free facility. It underwent multiple gene edits: three genes associated with immune-activating sugars were knocked out to reduce human recognition of pig tissue, and three human genes that modulate immune and inflammatory responses were inserted. The goal was to create a lung that would be less susceptible to rapid rejection and infection. The left...