Allogeneic, Xenogeneic, and Exogenic Hearts for Transplantation

Daniel J. Garry; Mary G. Garry; Hiromitsu Nakauchi; Hideki Masaki; David H. Sachs; Joshua I. Weiner; Daniel Reichart; Eckhard Wolf

doi:10.14797/mdcvj.1590

Allogeneic, Xenogeneic, and Exogenic Hearts for Transplantation

Methodist DeBakey Cardiovascular Journal

Volume 21 (2025): Issue 3

By: Daniel J. Garry , Mary G. Garry , Hiromitsu Nakauchi , Hideki Masaki , David H. Sachs , Joshua I. Weiner , Daniel Reichart and Eckhard Wolf

Open Access

|May 2025

Abstract

The only curative therapy for end-stage heart failure is orthotopic allogeneic heart transplantation. This therapy has extended the survival of patients worldwide but is limited due to the scarcity of donor organs. Potential alternative donor sources of organs for transplantation include genetically-modified (GM) large animal donors (ie, xenografts) and human organs developed in large animal hosts. These strategies utilize gene editing and somatic cell nuclear transfer technologies to engineer partially or completely humanized organs. Preclinical xenotransplantation studies of GM pig hearts into baboons have already provided an important clinical foundation, as two patients have received cardiac xenografts from GM pigs and have survived for up to 2 months. Additional issues need to be addressed in order for patients to survive more than 1 year, which would make these strategies clinically applicable. Thus, in combination with immunosuppression agents, xenogeneic and exogenic organ sources hold tremendous promise for an unlimited and transformative supply of organs for transplantation.

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Articles in this issue

DOI: https://doi.org/10.14797/mdcvj.1590 | Journal eISSN: 1947-6108

Journal RSS Feed

Language: English

Page range: 92 - 99

Submitted on: Mar 4, 2025

Accepted on: Apr 7, 2025

Published on: May 15, 2025

Published by: Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

Keywords:

orthotopic heart transplantation,

exogenesis,

xenotransplantation,

gene editing,

somatic cell nuclear transfer,

blastocyst complementation

© 2025 Daniel J. Garry, Mary G. Garry, Hiromitsu Nakauchi, Hideki Masaki, David H. Sachs, Joshua I. Weiner, Daniel Reichart, Eckhard Wolf, published by Houston Methodist DeBakey Heart & Vascular Center
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 License.

Volume 21 (2025): Issue 3