Human complement regulatory proteins in hyperacute rejection of cardiac xenografts

Donor organ shortage can be seen as a consequence of the success of allotransplantation and is mainly a problem of the western countries. Due to the progress in transplantation medicine, more patients with end-stage organ failure can be treated. However, many patients will never receive an organ, since the waiting lists increase every year. According to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) over 160,000 patients worldwide are registered as candidates for organ transplantation on a waiting list. In the USA more than 79,000 people are awaiting an organ transplant and approximately 16 will die each day without receiving one. Within the Eurotransplant area (Austria, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and The Netherlands) in 1999 3,075 patients received an unrelated cadaveric kidney transplant, whereas 12,393 patients remained on the waiting list. Alternatives for kidney patients are hemodialysis and living-(related) kidney donation. 708 patients received a heart transplant in 1999, and 608 were still on the waiting list at the end of that year. An alternative for heart patients is the artificial heart, but the possibilities of this device are limited. In the same year, 236 lung transplantations were performed and 345 people were waiting for a transplant, whereas 46 patients who needed a heart and lung transplant were waiting for these organs and 28 were transplanted. Up to 25% of patients on the waiting list are dying as no suitable organ is available in time. The shortage of human organs has increased interest in xenotransplantation as a possibility to solve this problem.

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