Scientists Successfully Transfer Longevity Gene from Naked Mole Rats to Mice
Mice with transferred gene lived 4.4% longer and showed improved resistance to cancer, inflammation, and age-related diseases.
Scientists at the University of Rochester have achieved a remarkable milestone in aging research by successfully transferring a longevity-related gene from the famously long-lived naked mole rat into laboratory mice, resulting in healthier lives and modestly extended lifespans. The breakthrough demonstrates that biological advantages evolved by one species can potentially be adapted to benefit other mammals, opening new avenues for combating age-related diseases.
The research team, led by professors Vera Gorbunova and Andrei Seluanov, focused on a gene that helps produce high molecular weight hyaluronic acid (HMW-HA), a substance that naked mole rats possess in unusually high concentrations. These small, wrinkled rodents can live up to 41 years—nearly ten times longer than similarly sized animals—and rarely develop cancer or other age-related diseases that commonly affect mammals.
The genetically modified mice developed higher levels of hyaluronan in several tissues and demonstrated significant health improvements compared to normal mice. They showed stronger resistance to tumor formation, healthier digestive systems, and reduced levels of age-related inflammation. Most remarkably, the treated mice achieved an approximate 4.4% increase in median lifespan, suggesting that the protective mechanisms could translate across species.
"Our study provides a proof of principle that unique longevity mechanisms that evolved in long-lived mammalian species can be exported to improve the lifespans of other mammals," says Gorbunova, the Doris Johns Cherry Professor of biology and medicine at Rochester. The research, published in Nature in 2023, builds on earlier work showing that HMW-HA helps protect naked mole rats from cancer and age-related cellular damage.
The breakthrough has significant implications for human health and aging research. Naked mole rats carry approximately ten times more HMW-HA than humans, and previous studies demonstrated that removing this substance from naked mole rat cells made them more susceptible to tumor formation. The successful transfer of this protective mechanism suggests that similar approaches could potentially be developed to enhance human longevity and disease resistance, though extensive additional research would be required before any clinical applications.
