XI'AN, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese research team has successfully used a gene-edited pig liver in an extracorporeal perfusion therapy to treat a patient with acute liver failure, saving the patient's life and significantly improving key liver function indicators following the treatment.
The patient, who has chronic liver disease, suffered sudden, life-threatening acute liver failure that necessitated immediate treatment. The team took a liver from a gene-edited pig and connected it to a normothermic machine perfusion device to build an extracorporeal cross-circulation system, according to Xijing Hospital of the Air Force Medical University in northwest China's Shaanxi Province.
During the treatment, the pig liver temporarily performed essential liver functions, including detoxification, synthesis and metabolism, while the patient's own liver stayed in place. Throughout the process, key indicators such as bilirubin, transaminase levels, and prothrombin activity improved continuously and significantly.
To date, the patient remains in stable condition, with physiological and biochemical parameters approaching normal levels.
This combined approach of using gene-edited organs and extracorporeal cross-circulation provides temporary life support while greatly reducing the burden of immunosuppression, said Tao Kaishan from the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery at Xijing Hospital.
It is estimated that around 200,000 people in China are hospitalized each year due to liver failure. While awaiting a donor liver, the mortality risk remains high because acute liver failure is likely to develop during this critical period.
The initial success of this treatment could not only buy more time for patients on the transplant list but also expand treatment options for those with end-stage liver disease. Additionally, this research holds promise for advancing studies on using pig livers to support or even replace human liver function, according to Wang Lin, director of the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xijing Hospital. ■
