"Pig 3.0", which is expected to be used in clinical xenotransplantation, was born

BEIJING, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- An international research team led by Chinese researchers has successfully made a prototype called "Pig 3.0", which is expected to be used for clinical transplantation of heterogeneic organs, with the characteristics of removing endogenetic retrovirus in pigs and enhancing immune compatibness of heterogeneic organs.
, who led the study, said the researchers combined CRISPR/Cas9 gene knock-out technology with transpoton gene insertion technology to modify a number of gene site and create a special pig with 13 independent genetic modifications. The researchers modified immunity and clotting incompatibility between pigs and completely eradicated endovirus in pigs. Endogenetic retrovirus is a virus embedded in the genome of a cell that is not toxic in the pig body, but is a major medical risk for transplanting pig organs into the human body.
also participated in the study are Yunnan Agricultural University, Harvard University in the United States, eGenesis, etc. The results were published in the British journal Nature Biomedical Engineering on the 21st.
" is the first case of a clinically heterogeneic organ transplant that combines two characteristics, and now we are testing the effectiveness and safety of the resulting organs in primates. Yang Wei, author of the relevant paper newsletter and co-founder and CEO of Kaising Bio, told Xinhua.
, the genetically engineered pig and its organs have normal physiological characteristics, fertility and so on.
In 2017, a team of Harvard professors George Church and Yang Wei published their results in the American journal Science, which developed the world's first "pig 1.0" without endotrovirus, fundamentally addressing the risk that a pig organ transplant could cause the virus to spread. In 2018, "Pig 2.0" was born, further solving the problem of immune rejection of heterogeneic organ transplantation. "Pig 3.0" combines the advantages of the first two generations.
Yang said the birth of "Pig 3.0" marks an important step in the safety and effectiveness of heterogeneity transplantation.
"the world's demand for organ transplants far exceeds the number of donors, and if proven in the next step of research, it will greatly alleviate the global organ shortage." Church, who is now co-founder and bioscience consultant
co-chair of the Association.