Post transplant, your lungs don't have CF?? Huh?

Blue

New member
I've read a few posts where people say post transplant their lungs don't have CF. Even with new lungs, CF is genetic. Can someone help me understand what this means?
 
R

RytheStunner

Guest
When you get a transplant, your new lungs have the DNA of the donor. Your new lungs do not absorb your DNA. If it did, then there would be no need for anti-rejection drugs.
 

TarHeelBlue2007

New member
RytheStunner is correct, your new lungs have the DNA of the donor, and since the donor does not have CF, the lungs you get have 2 normal, functional copies of the CF gene. Thus, your new lungs do not have CF.

However, since the lungs were the only things transplanted, the rest of your body would still have CF...you still may have malabsorption issues, your sweat would still be salty, etc. In addition, if you were looking to have kids, your sperm or eggs would have your mutated CF gene, so you could still pass the gene on.

Thus, I think that what you were told is that since CF is genetic, after a lung transplant you'd still have the symptoms of CF in your non-lung organs (GI, sweat, reproductive). But your new lungs themselves would not have CF.

Hope this helps.
 
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