【Animal Modeling】-Skin cells come from genetically modified pigs

  Recently, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved XenoTherapeutics to initiate the first clinical trial of xenotransplantation. In this test, live skin cells from genetically modified pigs were transplanted into humans to treat severe burns. XenoTherapeutics' biologically active Xeno-Skin products include dermis and epidermal tissue layers extracted from genetically modified pigs, which can be transplanted to humans after being completely disinfected. The company said earlier that the viral pathogens in these animals prevented pigs from using xenogeneic dermal grafts. Similarly, human skin does not produce sugar, while pig skin usually produces sugar, but the company has genetically modified these pigs to prevent pigs from producing this sugar. In this way, it is easier to monitor the pig skin by the immune system of the transplant recipient. Therefore, the pig skin used in this experiment is very similar to human skin, and these pig skins can be used for emergency burn treatment before human skin transplantation.

  "If this trial proves the safety and effectiveness of the new solution, it will be able to meet the clinical needs of the emergency burn program," Massachusetts General Hospital FACS MD, Zenoskin clinical trial director, research director Jeremy Gar Berman said. "Zenoskin can provide the main treatment for early severe burns, and it can also be used for a series of long-term temporary burns." The skin is the largest organ of the human body, and the pathogen prevents the human body from invading the fragile internal organs. It plays an important role in the immune system. In addition, the skin captures water, electrolytes and other nutrients, thereby helping the body maintain a stable body temperature. Breaking the skin barrier puts patients with severe burns at risk. It increases the risk of opportunistic pathogen infections, impaired immune response, loss of fluid from the burn site, and causes electrolyte, temperature, and acid-base imbalances. If it is not resolved, it will eventually solve the problems that lead to organ failure and death. Therefore, during this critical period, burn patients need immediate treatment to restore normal body functions as soon as possible during the acute phase of the injury.

  Currently, the only way to perform skin transplantation in the United States is to use the skin left after the death of a person who agreed to donate the organ, or the skin of a patient whose skin was excessively removed due to severe weight loss. Human skin for transplantation is a "rare commodity." Paul Holzer, CEO and co-founder of XenoTherapeutics, said: “Xeno-Skin is the first non-human organ transplant approved by the FDA for research purposes.” While meeting the clinical needs of patients with severe unmet burns, it enables Patients around the world benefit, but just as importantly, the approval of this xenotransplantation trial paves the way for future xenotransplantation solutions. I will. "Skin grafts can also be used. To protect the patient during the healing process.

  PaulHolzer

  Xeno-Skin is a live-cell xenograft product, including the epidermis and dermal cell layer, which is very important in the treatment of burns. It can provide immediate and temporary wound coverage for a long period of time, and is designed to replace or supplement the allograft of a deceased donor, which means that Xeno-Skin is an existing allograft, XenoTherapeutics said. This problem is solved because Xeno-Skin is designed as a product that can be conveniently mass-produced, stored and transported when clinically needed.

  XenoTherapeutics is preparing to recruit qualified trial patients at Massachusetts General Hospital before the end of the year. This is a non-profit company that will work closely with doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital next month. The first clinical trial only tested the safety and tolerability of 6 patients with severe burns. One month later, the results of the clinical trial were positive. Massachusetts General Hospital XenoTherapeutics Chief Medical Officer and Transplant Surgeon Curtis Settlelo said that it is assumed that the transplant operation must go through two steps Tests can be approved for clinical use. "Ultimately, a temporary skin barrier solution can be prepared, frozen and shipped worldwide for immediate use or storage. Unexpected catastrophic events. Urgent preparations can greatly reduce the current global shortage of transplanted organs." Dr. David H. Sachs, Professor of Surgery at Columbia University Irvine Medical Center and Emeritus Professor of Harvard Medical School at Massachusetts General Hospital, founder of the Institute of Transplantation Biology, Dr. David H. Sachs said: “Using genetically engineered pigs for xenograft skin can replace burn treatment. . It avoids the current main uses of allogeneic skin. The series includes high costs, a limited number of donors and the risk of human pathogen transmission."