BACKGROUND: Clinical xenotransplantation is not possible because humans possess antibodies that recognize antigens on the surface of pig cells. Galα-1,3-Gal (Gal) and N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc) are two known xenoantigens. METHODS: We report the homozygous disruption of the α1, 3-galactosyltransferase (GGTA1) and the cytidine monophosphate-N-acetylneuraminic acid hydroxylase (CMAH) genes in liver-derived female pig cells using zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs). Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) was used to produce healthy cloned piglets from the genetically modified liver cells. Antibody-binding and antibody-mediated complement-dependent cytotoxicity assays were used to examine the immunoreactivity of pig cells deficient in Neu5Gc and Gal. RESULTS: This approach enabled rapid production of a pig strain deficient in multiple genes without extensive breeding protocols. Immune recognition studies showed that pigs lacking both CMAH and GGTA1 gene activities reduce the humoral barrier to xenotransplantation, further than pigs lacking only GGTA1. CONCLUSIONS: This technology will accelerate the development of pigs for xenotransplantation research.
BACKGROUND: Clinical xenotransplantation is not possible because humans possess antibodies that recognize antigens on the surface of pig cells. Galα-1,3-Gal (Gal) and N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc) are two known xenoantigens. METHODS: We report the homozygous disruption of the α1, 3-galactosyltransferase (GGTA1) and the cytidine monophosphate-N-acetylneuraminic acid hydroxylase (CMAH) genes in liver-derived female pig cells using zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs). Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) was used to produce healthy cloned piglets from the genetically modified liver cells. Antibody-binding and antibody-mediated complement-dependent cytotoxicity assays were used to examine the immunoreactivity of pig cells deficient in Neu5Gc and Gal. RESULTS: This approach enabled rapid production of a pig strain deficient in multiple genes without extensive breeding protocols. Immune recognition studies showed that pigs lacking both CMAH and GGTA1 gene activities reduce the humoral barrier to xenotransplantation, further than pigs lacking only GGTA1. CONCLUSIONS: This technology will accelerate the development of pigs for xenotransplantation research.
Authors: Stephen T Bartlett; James F Markmann; Paul Johnson; Olle Korsgren; Bernhard J Hering; David Scharp; Thomas W H Kay; Jonathan Bromberg; Jon S Odorico; Gordon C Weir; Nancy Bridges; Raja Kandaswamy; Peter Stock; Peter Friend; Mitsukazu Gotoh; David K C Cooper; Chung-Gyu Park; Phillip OʼConnell; Cherie Stabler; Shinichi Matsumoto; Barbara Ludwig; Pratik Choudhary; Boris Kovatchev; Michael R Rickels; Megan Sykes; Kathryn Wood; Kristy Kraemer; Albert Hwa; Edward Stanley; Camillo Ricordi; Mark Zimmerman; Julia Greenstein; Eduard Montanya; Timo Otonkoski Journal: Transplantation Date: 2016-02 Impact factor: 4.939
Authors: Jose L Estrada; Greg Martens; Ping Li; Andrew Adams; Kenneth A Newell; Mandy L Ford; James R Butler; Richard Sidner; Matt Tector; Joseph Tector Journal: Xenotransplantation Date: 2015-03-01 Impact factor: 3.907
Authors: James R Butler; Gregory R Martens; Jose L Estrada; Luz M Reyes; Joseph M Ladowski; Cesare Galli; Andrea Perota; Conor M Cunningham; Matthew Tector; A Joseph Tector Journal: Transgenic Res Date: 2016-04-21 Impact factor: 2.788
Authors: Laura Higginbotham; Dave Mathews; Cynthia A Breeden; Mingqing Song; Alton Brad Farris; Christian P Larsen; Mandy L Ford; Andrew J Lutz; Matthew Tector; Kenneth A Newell; A Joseph Tector; Andrew B Adams Journal: Xenotransplantation Date: 2015-04-03 Impact factor: 3.907