In this study, we examined whether Hanganutziu‐Deicher (H‐D) antigens are important as an immunogenic non‐a1,3‐galactose (Gal) epitope in pigs with a disrupted a1,3‐ galactosyltransferase gene. The targeting efficiency of the AO blood genotype was achieved (2.2%) in pig fibroblast cells. A total of 1800 somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos were transferred to 10 recipients. One recipient developed to term and naturally delivered two piglets. The a1,3‐galactosyltransferase activity in lung, liver, spleen, and testis of heterozygote a1,3‐galactosyltransferase gene knockout (GalT‐KO) pigs was significantly decreased, whereas brain and heart showed very low decreasing levels of a1,3‐ galactosyltransferase activity when compared to those of control. Enzyme‐linked lectinosorbent assay showed that the heterozygote GalT‐KO pig had more sialyla2,6‐ and sialyla2,3‐ linked glycan than the control. Furthermore, the heart, liver, and kidney of the heterozygote GalT‐KO pig had a higher N‐glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc) content than the control, whereas the lung of the heterozygote GalT‐KO pig had Neu5Gc content similar to the control. Collectively, the data strongly indicated that Neu5Gc is a more critical xenoantigen to overcoming the next acute immune rejection in pig to human xenotransplantation.

• Jong‐Yi Park(Department of Animal Biotechnology, College of Animal Bioscience and Technology, Konkuk University, Seoul 143‐701)
• Mi‐Ryung Park(Department of Animal Biotechnology, College of Animal Bioscience and Technology, Konkuk University, Seoul 143‐701)
• Hong‐Thuy Bui(Department of Animal Biotechnology, College of Animal Bioscience and Technology, Konkuk University, Seoul 143‐701)
• Deug‐Nam Kwon(Department of Animal Biotechnology, College of Animal Bioscience and Technology, Konkuk University, Seoul 143‐701)
• Min‐Hui Kang(Department of Animal Biotechnology, College of Animal Bioscience and Technology, Konkuk University, Seoul 143‐701)
• Mihye Oh(Department of Animal Biotechnology, College of Animal Bioscience and Technology, Konkuk University, Seoul 143‐701)
• Jae‐Woong Han(Department of Animal Biotechnology, College of Animal Bioscience and Technology, Konkuk University, Seoul 143‐701)
• Ssang‐Goo Cho1(Department of Animal Biotechnology, College of Animal Bioscience and Technology, Konkuk University, Seoul 143‐701)
• Chankyu Park(Department of Animal Biotechnology, College of Animal Bioscience and Technology, Konkuk University, Seoul 143‐701)
• Hosup Shim(Department of Physiology, Dankook University School of Medicine, Cheonan 330‐714)
• Hye‐Min Kim(Department of Animal Science, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 500‐757)
• Man‐Jong Kang(Department of Animal Science, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 500‐757)
• Jin‐Ki Park(Animal Biotechnology Division, National Institute of Animal Science, Rural Development Administration, Suwon 441‐706)
• Jeong‐Woong Lee(Development and Differentiation Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon 305‐806)
• Kyung‐Kwang Lee(Development and Differentiation Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon 305‐806)
• Jin‐Hoi Kim(Department of Animal Biotechnology, College of Animal Bioscience and Technology, Konkuk University, Seoul 143‐701)