Porcine Xenotransplantation: From the Discovery of PERV Risk to Its Genetic Remediation

Pig-to-human xenotransplantation may help solve the shortage of human donor organs and cells but requires the coalescence of many diverse and independent arms of biomedical research. These range from overcoming massive medical and immunological challenges of porcine xenotransplantation, avoidance of infection risk to the transplant recipients as well as the global human population, and ethical challenges. Robin Weiss was the first to identify the porcine endogenous retrovirus (PERV) as unique potential risk associated with xenotransplantation. Thereafter, he, and the broader network of leading virologists worldwide, undertook research that led to a robust understanding of the risk relating to PERV. This community’s commitment ultimately has led to approaches to mitigate the risk. Ultimately, the hope of patients requiring xenotransplants for their survival will no longer be tainted with major concerns related to risks of PERV infection; either to themselves or to the human population at large.