Porcine endogenous retrovirus (PERV) (PERV)

Porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERVs) are proviral sequences integrated into the genome of all pigs, posing a significant hurdle for xenotransplantation. These sequences can produce infectious viral particles capable of infecting human cells, raising concerns about potential zoonotic outbreaks in transplant recipients (Niu et al., 2017; Denner, 2021). In the EGEN-2784 genome, a specific genetically modified porcine line developed by eGenesis, all functional copies of PERV have been inactivated using CRISPR-Cas9 technology (Kim et al., 2023). This is achieved by targeting the highly conserved polymerase (pol) gene across dozens of genomic locations simultaneously to prevent viral replication (Niu et al., 2017). The elimination of PERVs is a critical safety requirement for the clinical application of pig-to-human organ transplantation, such as the use of EGEN-2784 derived kidneys (eGenesis, 2023). While not a traditional pharmacological target, PERVs are the primary genomic targets for modification to ensure the long-term safety of xenografts (Denner, 2021). Monitoring for PERV activity remains a standard part of safety protocols in xenotransplantation trials (Kim et al., 2023).

Other names

PERV sequencesPorcine endogenous retroviral elementsPERV-APERV-BPERV-C

CRISPR-Cas9 mediated multiplexed genome editing to inactivate the viral polymerase (pol) gene, thereby preventing the assembly of infectious viral particles and eliminating the risk of zoonotic transmission.