Scientists at the University of British Columbia in Canada have, for the first time, turned a donor kidney with blood type A into universal type O. This was made possible by enzymes that remove blood type A antigens from the surface of cells. The procedure took just two hours and did not damage the organ. The method is called ECO — enzyme-converted organs with type O blood.
The kidney was transplanted into a patient with brain death and a high concentration of antibodies against type A — which made the experiment especially illustrative. Over the next two days, the organ functioned without signs of rejection. On the third day, an immune reaction began, but even this result is considered a significant success. The scientists deliberately did not use immunosuppressants in order to assess the effectiveness of the enzymatic method alone, and they believe that under real conditions, with therapy applied, the organ could function much longer.
This approach could reduce the transplant waiting list and save lives, especially for patients with the most difficult blood type O.
