Scientists have successfully transplanted a lung from a genetically modified pig into a human being for the first time, according to a report by Nature.
The organ was transplanted into the body of a brain-dead man in China, but it was able to survive for nine days.
The findings of this proof-of-concept trial were published in the peer-reviewed academic journal Nature Medicine.
The success marks a major step forward in addressing the global organ shortage crisis.
An organic solution to an organ problem
Organ transplants are hard, with a shortage of available transplantable organs being a problem across the globe. According to a May 2024 statement by the World Health Organization, less than 10% of the world's transplant needs are actually being met. Thousands of people die every year just waiting for an organ donor.
One solution that many scientists have looked into is xenotransplantation, which means transplants from something other than humans.
The most promising source for these organs is pigs, as the sizes of their organs are similar to those of human organs.
While this would still present the problem of the body rejecting the transplant, that risk can be mitigated by genetically modifying the pig as needed.
So far, there have been around six people who have received full organs from pigs, such as kidneys, hearts, and livers.
One of the most difficult organs to transplant is the lung. According to University of Maryland researcher Muhammad Mohiuddin, who led the first pig-heart transplant in a living person back in 2022, the lungs have the most blood vessels out of any transplantable organ. This, he explained to Nature, means that they are more likely to be attacked by the body's immune system.
The fact that the researchers were able to succeed in this lung transplant is a huge step forward, Mohiuddin said.
The researchers wrote that “Continued efforts are needed to optimize immunosuppressive regimens, refine genetic modifications, enhance lung preservation strategies and assess long-term graft function beyond the acute phase.”