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. 2005 Jan;11(1):29-31.
doi: 10.1038/nm1171. Epub 2004 Dec 26.

Heart transplantation in baboons using alpha1,3-galactosyltransferase gene-knockout pigs as donors: initial experience

Kenji Kuwaki  1 , Yau-Lin Tseng, Frank J M F Dor, Akira Shimizu, Stuart L Houser, Todd M Sanderson, Courtney J Lancos, Derek D Prabharasuth, Jane Cheng, Kathleen Moran, Yosuke Hisashi, Nicolas Mueller, Kazuhiko Yamada, Julia L Greenstein, Robert J Hawley, Clive Patience, Michel Awwad, Jay A Fishman, Simon C Robson, Henk-Jan Schuurman, David H Sachs, David K C Cooper
Affiliations

Heart transplantation in baboons using alpha1,3-galactosyltransferase gene-knockout pigs as donors: initial experience

Kenji Kuwaki et al. Nat Med. 2005 Jan.

Abstract

Hearts from alpha1,3-galactosyltransferase knockout pigs (GalT-KO, n = 8) were transplanted heterotopically into baboons using an anti-CD154 monoclonal antibody-based regimen. The elimination of the galactose-alpha1,3-galactose epitope prevented hyperacute rejection and extended survival of pig hearts in baboons for 2-6 months (median, 78 d); the predominant lesion associated with graft failure was a thrombotic microangiopathy, with resulting ischemic injury. There were no infectious complications directly related to the immunosuppressive regimen. The transplantation of hearts from GalT-KO pigs increased graft survival over previous studies.

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