After nearly a decade of continuous research, the team managed to convert a human kidney from blood type ‘A’ to type ‘O’ using special enzymes that remove sugar molecules, or ‘antigens’, responsible for determining blood type. The transplant experiment was conducted on a brain-dead patient, with the family’s consent to participate in the research, as the kidney was inside the body for several days.
Withers explained that the enzymes used act like ‘strippers’, removing the antigens that give the kidney its original type, converting it to the neutral ‘O’ type. He added, “It’s like removing red paint from a car to reveal its neutral base layer, so the immune system does not recognize it as a foreign body.”
Despite this initial success, researchers noticed after the third day of transplantation that the kidney began to show signs of a mild immune response. However, this response was less severe than usual, with indications that the body was gradually adjusting to the new organ.
Researchers hope this development, along with ongoing efforts such as the use and development of innovative antibodies, will help reduce patient waiting lists and improve survival chances worldwide.
