Research progress and current status of gene-edited-pig to non-human primate kidney xenotransplantation drug application.

Kidney transplantation is the only effective treatment for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). With the application of gene-editing technology and modern immunosuppressants, kidney transplants from pigs with up to 12 edited genes have shown significant survival in non-human primates (NHP) and have been transplanted in handful of patients. Our review describes the most current progress in gene-edited pigs used for kidney xenotransplantation (KXTx) to NHP. Furthermore, this review reports about drug treatment options such as immune induction, immune maintenance, anti-inflammatory therapy, and anticoagulant therapy aiming to provide in prospects of KXTx. We stress the following highlights: 1) The application of induction and maintenance therapies with gene edited pigs for NHP KXTx; 2) The application of CD40-CD154 co-stimulatory pathway blockers as essential in immune maintenance medication; 3) The role of cytokines in monitoring of anti-inflammatory treatment' and 4) The salvage administration measures during suspected rejection reactions can to some extent prolong the functional survival of the recipient kidney.