Succeeded in an experiment to convert an organ for transplantation into a 'universal organ' that can be transplanted to patients of all blood types



It was announced that the proof-of-concept experiment was successful in converting the lungs provided for transplantation into 'universal organs' that can be transplanted to patients of all blood types.

Ex vivo enzyme treatment converts blood type A donor lungs into universal blood type lungs

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scitranslmed.abm7190

Creating'universal' transplant organs: New study moves us one step closer. | Live Science
https://www.livescience.com/universal-blood-type-transplant-lungs-study

Altering the blood type of lungs raises potential for universal organs for transplants
https://www.statnews.com/2022/02/16/by-altering-the-blood-type-of-lungs-researchers-raise-the-possibility-of-universal-organs-for-transplants/

Researchers convert organ into universal blood type for transplant | CTV News
https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/researchers-find-potential-to-create-universal-type-o-blood-organs-for-transplants-1.5784021

' (PDF file) A paper summarizing the experimental results on universal organs using extracorporeal pulmonary perfusion (EVLP)' has been published in the scientific journal Science Translational Medicine . EVLP refers to a technology in which lungs removed from a donor in a brain-dead lung transplant are connected to a dedicated device to restore weakened function outside the body or to maintain alive state for transplantation. The experiment was led by Dr. Marcelo Cypel, Director of Surgery at the University of Toronto's Azimera Transplant Center.

When deciding on a pair of organ donor and patient to be transplanted, there are two things to check: 'organ size' and 'blood type'. According to the same study, some organs are deficient due to blood type and organ size, and especially O-type lungs are suffering from a serious donor shortage. According to the research team, patients waiting for a lung transplant of type O have a 20% higher risk of dying from finding an organ donor than patients waiting for a transplant of other blood types.

'If we can remove these bottlenecks in organ transplants, we can help patients waiting for organ transplants faster and reduce the risk of dying while waiting for transplants,' said Dr. Cypel. '.



The human blood type is determined by the presence or absence of specific sugar molecules called antigens on the surface of red blood cells and the surface of blood vessels in the body. A type has only A antigen, B type has only B antigen, AB type has both A and B antigens, but O type has either antigen. I don't even have one.

Red blood cells and blood vessels carry these antigens, but

plasma contains antibodies that react with specific blood antigens. For example, type A blood has anti-B antibodies in its plasma, so when a person with type A is transfused with type B blood, the immune system considers the blood to be foreign and launches an attack.

In contrast, people with O-type blood have both anti-A and anti-B antibodies in their plasma, so only O-type blood and organs that do not have A or B antigens should be transplanted. can not. Also, because ABO blood does not contain any antigens, it is possible to transplant organs to patients with all blood types other than O. Therefore, there is an overwhelming shortage of transplanted organs for type O.



To address this issue, the research team has begun research to remove all antigens from red blood cells in organs and allow them to be transplanted to any blood type, such as O-type organs. In 2018,

we succeeded in removing the antigen in the blood using an enzyme in the intestine .

An attempt to change the blood type to create 'universal blood' that can be transfused to anyone --GIGAZINE



The research team has succeeded in removing 97% of A antigen from the lungs by adding two enzymes 'FpGalNAc deacetylase' and 'FpGalactosaminidase' to the lungs waiting for transplantation in EVLP and waiting for 4 hours. .. According to Dr. Cypel, when using EVLP, the organs are left in the device for about 4-5 hours. That's why Dr. Cypel says, 'it's clinically applicable.'

The research team conducted an antigen removal test using three lungs donated by type A donors and investigated whether the addition of enzymes would cause hyperacute rejection . 'In the enzyme-treated lungs, the lungs were found to function perfectly well, while in the untreated lungs, there were rapid signs of hyperacute rejection,' said Dr. Cypel. increase.

The research team is working on preparations for clinical trials of enzyme-treated lungs. The researchers speculate that sometime after the transplant, the transplanted organ is likely to produce blood antigens again to generate new cells, but 'immune adaptation' means that the immune system is transplanted. It will not attack the damaged organs. '



Therefore, the research team believes that universal organ transplantation will be possible if hyperacute rejection does not occur within a few days after transplantation. To do a transplant, you need to demonstrate that the enzymes used to remove blood antigens do not harm the patient's body, but the research team says, 'it won't be a big problem.' ..

According to the research team, enzyme treatment may be available not only in the lungs but also in blood used for blood transfusions and other transplanted organs.

in Science, Posted by logu_ii