Surgeons in China have successfully transplanted a genetically modified pig lung into a brain-dead human recipient, marking a major step in xenotransplantation research. The organ functioned for nine days, remaining viable and showing no immediate signs of hyperacute rejection or infection. The lung, taken from a Chinese Bama Xiang pig with six genetic modifications, was transplanted into a 39-year-old man declared brain dead.
Despite its early success, the lung began showing signs of fluid buildup and antibody-related damage within 24 hours, even under strong immunosuppressive medication. Researchers noted that the patient’s remaining natural lung may have masked the full extent of the pig lung’s decline.
Challenges and Future Prospects
Experts emphasize that while the study is promising, lung xenotransplantation faces unique challenges. Unlike other organs already tested in humans—such as kidneys, hearts, and livers—the lungs are in constant contact with the external environment, making them particularly vulnerable to infections and immune responses.
Andrew Fisher of Newcastle University described the procedure as an “incremental step forward,” stressing that the field is still far from clinical application. Other scientists highlighted complicating factors, including the inflammatory effects of brain death itself, which may have influenced the results.
Future research will focus on refining genetic modifications, improving immunosuppressive treatments, and testing long-term graft survival. At the same time, alternative strategies such as regenerating damaged human donor lungs with stem cells or rehabilitating previously unsuitable lungs could provide nearer-term solutions to the global organ shortage.
