Genomic variance in Yucatan pigs and detection of donor-derived cell-free DNA after heart transplantation

TL;DR

This study explores genetic differences in Yucatan pigs and uses cell-free DNA to detect organ rejection after heart transplants.

Contribution

The study provides a detailed genomic characterization of Yucatan pigs and validates cfDNA as a tool for detecting donor-derived DNA in transplant recipients.

Findings

Yucatan pigs exhibit genomic variance comparable to humans, making them suitable for preclinical organ transplant studies.

Donor-derived cell-free DNA can be detected and distinguished in the blood of transplant recipients.

cfDNA analysis offers a non-invasive method for monitoring acute rejection after heart transplantation.

Abstract

Acute rejection, one of the most devastating complications that can occur following organ transplantation, is caused by antigenic differences between the organ donor and the recipient. Following cardiac transplantation, an estimated 12% of patients will experience at least one episode of moderate or severe acute rejection in the first year after transplantation. To better understand the genetic mechanisms underlying acute rejection, Yucatan pigs (YP) serve as an ideal preclinical model. Translatability of the YP preclinical model relies on the fidelity observed between preclinical and clinical pathologies. Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) analysis has emerged as a blood-based, non-invasive screening tool for acute rejection of solid organs following transplantation. We present a detailed characterization of the genomic variance in YPs. The degree of variance matches that observed in humans, enabling for the ability to detect and distinguish between donor-derived and recipient-derived fragments isolated from the transplant recipient’s blood.

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