Transference of longevity gene
This riveting revelation has been unfolded at the University of Rochester. The team consists of the extraordinary Vera Gorbunova, the Doris Johns Cherry Professor of Biology and Medicine, and the erudite Andrei Seluanov, a Professor of Biology.
Their decades of research devoted to understanding the mechanisms of aging and diseases have led to fascinating findings.
What’s with the naked mole rats? These remarkable critters are known for their long lifespans and resistance to age-related diseases.
These rodents can live up to 41 years, nearly a decade longer than rodents their size. Fascination for these extraordinary creatures led Rochester researchers to a dramatic discovery.
Imagine transferring the specific gene — the one responsible for these rodents’ enhanced cellular repair and protection — into mice? That’s precisely what these researchers did.
Paywalled Scientific Paper:
Increased hyaluronan by naked mole-rat Has2 improves healthspan in mice
Abundant high-molecular-mass hyaluronic acid (HMM-HA) contributes to cancer resistance and possibly to the longevity of the longest-lived rodent—the naked mole-rat1,2. To study whether the benefits of HMM-HA could be transferred to other animal species, we generated a transgenic mouse overexpressing naked mole-rat hyaluronic acid synthase 2 gene (nmrHas2 ). nmrHas2 mice showed an increase in hyaluronan levels in several tissues, and a lower incidence of spontaneous and induced cancer, extended lifespan and improved healthspan. The transcriptome signature of nmrHas2 mice shifted towards that of longer-lived species. The most notable change observed in nmrHas2 mice was attenuated inflammation across multiple tissues. HMM-HA reduced inflammation through several pathways, including a direct immunoregulatory effect on immune cells, protection from oxidative stress and improved gut barrier function during ageing. These beneficial effects were conferred by HMM-HA and were not specific to the nmrHas2 gene. These findings demonstrate that the longevity mechanism that evolved in the naked mole-rat can be exported to other species, and open new paths for using HMM-HA to improve lifespan and healthspan.
