Biologists and physicians at the University of Rochester have been studying the processes of aging and disease for decades. Published last year Their studywhich investigated the plasticity of the aging brain. In this experiment, male and female participants aged 37, 62, and 79 performed the same task while sitting and walking. The results showed that many people were more effective at solving problems when they exercised: their cognitive performance improved. For those who had this, their brains flexibly adapted to the task, developing and flexibly using specific frontal resources.
Two years ago, the University of Rochester again came out with a result. Studyingwhere Vera Gorbunova, Doris Jones-Sherry, and Andrey Seluanov wrote about the mechanisms that regulate genes. They compared patterns of gene regulation in 26 mammalian species, which had very different maximum life spans.
For example, a shrew that lived for two years was included in the analysis in the same way as a naked mole rat (also known as a groundhog) that roamed for 41 years. Thousands of genes associated with the maximum lifespan of the species were identified. These genes were either positively or negatively associated with longevity.
Long-lived species have been shown to generally express low levels of genes involved in energy metabolism and inflammation, but high levels of genes involved in DNA repair, RNA transport, and cytoskeletal (or microtubule) organization.
On the other hand, in mammals with shorter lifespans, the expression of genes involved in energy metabolism and inflammation was high, but genes involved in DNA repair, RNA transport, and microtubule regulation were low.
They also found that genes linked to shorter life spans are expressed at a certain time of day, in line with the circadian rhythm. In other words, it has been shown once again that sleep, especially at night, when cells rest, is very important for health.
Now, the same team, led by Gorbunova, has returned to examine the bare-eared dog, which from a scientific point of view is a useful experimental subject due to its long lifespan and strong immune system. At 41 years old, it outlives other rodent species by at least 10 years, and its health does not deteriorate even in old age.
Not the most attractive animal, but very healthy.
What makes the naked earth dog's body so good? It has a special gene that supposedly gives it extraterrestrial (or in its case, subterranean) abilities. But what happens when that special gene – a They are them– It is responsible for the production of high molecular weight hyaluronic acid – Is it implanted in mice?
Their health improved significantly and their lifespan increased by 4.4 percent.
HMW-HA has amazing effects on aging and disease because it protects cells from tumors and inflammation. BecauseThe bare earth dog has ten times more HMW-HA than mice and humans, of course it is almost eternal. If the gene is removed, the bare earth dog's cells are more likely to become cancerous because HMW-HA protects mice from spontaneous tumors, chemical-induced skin cancer, and also supports a healthier gut in old age.
Future research should focus on understanding exactly how HMW-HA works at the cellular level, because if it plays a role not only in aging but also in various health conditions, it could open up new (human) therapeutic avenues. Furthermore, it is also possible to examine whether similar genes could exert a protective effect in humans. Of course, the big question is whether we should prefer extending lifespan at all costs or rather improving quality of life? In any case, the results are encouraging, as one of the researchers reported that they have already identified a molecule that slows down the degradation of HMW-HA.
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