Genetically engineered donor pigs with improved pancreatic islets
(B03)
Subject Area
Animal Breeding, Animal Nutrition, Animal Husbandry
Endocrinology, Diabetology, Metabolism
Term
from 2012 to 2024
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 213602983
The goal of this project is to generate genetically multi-modified donor pigs of pancreatic islets for xenotransplantation. To overcome immune rejection, pigs that are deficient in GGTA1 and CCL2 and transgenic for LEA29Y and hPD-L1 have been generated. We plan to add an hCD47 expression vector to protect xeno-islets against human macrophages. Furthermore, a PERV-C free breeding herd with the most efficient genetic modifications will be set up to provide high-quality islets for transplantation studies in diabetic non-human primates. Available single-cell transcriptome data from different stages will be used to identify maturation-associated networks and key drivers, which may serve as markers of the maturation stage and targets for evidence-based improvements of the maturation protocol for neonatal porcine islets.
DFG Programme
CRC/Transregios
