Blood Type A Kidney Converted to Universal Type O for Transplant
In a groundbreaking medical advancement, scientists have successfully converted a blood type A kidney to the universal type O for transplantation. This breakthrough could revolutionize organ donation, particularly for type O patients who make up over half of kidney waitlists.
The transplant, performed on a brain-dead recipient, functioned without signs of hyperacute rejection for two days. This is the first time the enzymes, developed at the University of British Columbia over a decade ago, were tested in a human body, yielding promising initial results.
Dr. Stephen Withers and Dr. Patrick Klassen, both from UBC, led the research. Their enzymes act as molecular scissors, removing the sugar that defines type A blood, effectively converting it to type O. This could enable the use of blood-type mismatched organs from deceased donors, significantly increasing the donor pool for type O patients.
The successful transplant marks a significant milestone in organ donation. Next steps involve seeking regulatory approval for clinical trials and further developing the enzymes for transplant application. This breakthrough could potentially save thousands of lives by reducing wait times and increasing the availability of compatible organs.
