World's first simultaneous pig liver and kidney transplant into human successful, but rejection signs emerge

Chinese researchers have achieved a world first by simultaneously transplanting a pig's liver and kidneys into a brain-dead individual, with the organs demonstrating normal function for several days. This breakthrough in xenotransplantation, the practice of transplanting animal organs into humans, was reported in the academic journal 'Med' by researchers from Guangxi Medical University.

The procedure involved using genetically modified pig organs, where three genes responsible for immune rejection were removed and three human genes related to blood clotting were added. This technique aims to mitigate the risk of hyperacute rejection, where the recipient's immune system attacks the foreign organ. The transplanted liver began secreting bile within 19 hours, and the kidneys effectively filtered waste products, normalizing the recipient's creatinine and urea levels.

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Multi-organ transplantation is much more complex and takes much longer than transplanting a single organ, with a higher risk of complications.

However, the success was tempered by the emergence of immune rejection signs after 36 hours, as the recipient's immune cells began to activate and replace the pig cells. Necrosis and thrombosis were also observed in parts of the pig liver. Researchers noted an increase in specific immune cells involved in inflammation, suggesting that targeted drug therapies could potentially reduce rejection in future attempts.

Despite these challenges, the study represents a significant step forward. Experts like Dr. Leonardo Riella from Massachusetts General Hospital acknowledged the complexity of multi-organ transplants, while Dr. Wayne Hawthorne of the University of Sydney called it a "demonstration of the possibility of multi-organ xenotransplantation." Researchers plan further animal and brain-dead donor experiments before proceeding to clinical trials in living patients. Separately, Kunming Medical University reported transplanting a partial liver and kidneys into a brain-dead donor, showing potential for "bridge therapy" until a patient's own liver regenerates or a human donor is found.

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This is a demonstration of the possibility of multi-organ xenotransplantation.