Prospect of growing organs in pigs for human transplant moves closer

Growing human transplant organs in pigs has become a more realistic prospect after scientists used advanced gene editing to remove threatening viruses from the animals’ DNA.

Porcine endogenous retroviruses (Pervs) are permanently embedded in the pig genome but research has shown they can infect human cells, pos- ing a potential hazard. The existence of Pervs has been a major stumbling block preventing the development of genetically engineered pigs to provide kidneys and other organs for transplant into human patients.

That hurdle may now have been cleared away, according to new research reported in the journal Science.

Researchers in the US used the precision gene editing tool Crispr-cas9 combined with gene repair technology to deactivate 100 per cent of Pervs in a line of pig cells.

Piglets cloned from the fibroblast (connective tissue) cells turned out to be Pervfree.

Dr Luhan Yang, co-founder and chief scientific officer at the biotech company egenesis, said: “This research represents an important advance in addressing safety concerns about cross-species viral transmission.”