For the first time, Canadian scientists have successfully converted blood types in human organs for transplantation purposes.
Blood type conversion allows donated organs to be compatible with anyone. (Photo: Getty Image)
According to Sputnik news agency, this groundbreaking method was published in the medical journal Science Translational Medicine on February 16.
The Latner Thoracic Surgery Research Lab and the Ajmera Transplant Centre, part of the UHN hospital network in Canada, demonstrated that it is possible to safely convert blood types in donated organs for transplantation procedures. For instance, organs from donors with type O blood are considered universal as they lack the A and B antigens in the blood. This means these organs are compatible with all patients, including those with the rarest blood type, AB.
Canadian scientists successfully converted all blood types in transplanted organs to type O by using FpGalNAc-deacetylase and FpGalactosaminidase enzymes to remove the A and B antigens in the blood. The enzymatic process that destroys these antigens lasts for four hours.
In the initial phase, the researchers tested this method on aorta tissue. Subsequently, they successfully destroyed the A protein antigens in eight lung samples.
