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Ruby JG, Smith M, Buffenstein R. Five years later, with double the demographic data, naked mole-rat mortality rates continue to defy Gompertzian laws by not increasing with age. GeroScience 2024; 46:5321-5341. [PMID: 38773057 PMCID: PMC11336006 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-024-01201-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber) is a mouse-sized rodent species, notable for its eusociality and long lifespan. Previously, we reported that demographic aging, i.e., the exponential increase of mortality hazard that accompanies advancing age in mammals and other organisms, does not occur in naked mole-rats (Ruby et al., 2018), a finding that has potential implications for human healthy aging. The demographic data supporting that conclusion had taken over three decades to accumulate, starting with the original rearing of H. glaber in captivity. This finding was controversial since many of the animals in that study were relatively young. In the 5 years following that study, we have doubled our quantity of demographic data. Here, we re-evaluated our prior conclusions in light of these new data and found them to be not only supported but indeed strengthened. We additionally provided insight into the social dynamics of captive H. glaber with data and analyses of body weight and colony size versus mortality. Finally, we provide a phylogenetically proximal comparator in the form of lifespan data from our Damaraland mole-rat (Fukomys damarensis) colony and demographic meta-analysis of those data along with published data from Ansell's mole-rat (Fukomys anselli). We found Fukomys mortality hazard to increase gradually with age, an observation with inferences on the evolution of exceptional lifespan among mole-rats and the ecological factors that may have accompanied that evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Graham Ruby
- Calico Life Sciences LLC, 1170 Veterans Blvd, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Megan Smith
- Calico Life Sciences LLC, 1170 Veterans Blvd, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA
| | - Rochelle Buffenstein
- Calico Life Sciences LLC, 1170 Veterans Blvd, South San Francisco, CA, 94080, USA.
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois, Chicago 845 W Taylor, Chicago, IL, 60607, USA.
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2
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Buffenstein R, Amoroso VG. The Untapped Potential of Comparative Biology in Aging Research: Insights From the Extraordinary-Long-Lived Naked Mole-Rat. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci 2024; 79:glae110. [PMID: 38721823 DOI: 10.1093/gerona/glae110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The search for solutions to the vagaries of aging has, historically, been akin to searching at night in the bright light under street lamps by utilizing the few preexisting and well-established animal model systems. Throughout my career as a comparative biologist, I have ventured into the darkness across 4 continents and studied over 150 different animal species, many of which have evolved remarkable adaptations to survive on the harsh and rugged fitness landscape that exists outside of the laboratory setting. In this Fellows Forum, I will discuss the main focus of my research for the last 25 years and dig deeply into the biology of the preternaturally long-lived naked mole-rat that makes it an ideal model system for the characterization of successful strategies to combat aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rochelle Buffenstein
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Vince G Amoroso
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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3
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Bramwell LR, Harries LW. Senescence, regulators of alternative splicing and effects of trametinib treatment in progeroid syndromes. GeroScience 2024; 46:1861-1879. [PMID: 37751047 PMCID: PMC10828446 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-023-00933-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Progeroid syndromes such as Hutchinson Gilford Progeroid syndrome (HGPS), Werner syndrome (WS) and Cockayne syndrome (CS), result in severely reduced lifespans and premature ageing. Normal senescent cells show splicing factor dysregulation, which has not yet been investigated in syndromic senescent cells. We sought to investigate the senescence characteristics and splicing factor expression profiles of progeroid dermal fibroblasts. Natural cellular senescence can be reversed by application of the senomorphic drug, trametinib, so we also investigated its ability to reverse senescence characteristics in syndromic cells. We found that progeroid cultures had a higher senescence burden, but did not always have differences in levels of proliferation, DNA damage repair and apoptosis. Splicing factor gene expression appeared dysregulated across the three syndromes. 10 µM trametinib reduced senescent cell load and affected other aspects of the senescence phenotype (including splicing factor expression) in HGPS and Cockayne syndromes. Werner syndrome cells did not demonstrate changes in in senescence following treatment. Splicing factor dysregulation in progeroid cells provides further evidence to support this mechanism as a hallmark of cellular ageing and highlights the use of progeroid syndrome cells in the research of ageing and age-related disease. This study suggests that senomorphic drugs such as trametinib could be a useful adjunct to therapy for progeroid diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura R Bramwell
- RNA-Mediated Mechanisms of Disease Group, Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences (Medical School), Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Lorna W Harries
- RNA-Mediated Mechanisms of Disease Group, Department of Clinical and Biomedical Sciences (Medical School), Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
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4
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Simone R, Čižmár D, Holtze S, Michel G, Sporbert A, Okolo C, Hildebrandt TB. In vitro production of naked mole-rats' blastocysts from non-breeding females using in vitro maturation and intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Sci Rep 2023; 13:22355. [PMID: 38102304 PMCID: PMC10724253 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49661-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The African naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber) is an attractive model for cancer and aging research due to its peculiar biological traits, such as unusual long life span and resistance to cancer. The establishment of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) would be a useful tool for in vitro studies but, in this species, the reprogramming of somatic cells is problematic because of their stable epigenome. Therefore, an alternative approach is the derivation of embryonic stem cells from in vitro-produced embryos. In this study, immature oocytes, opportunistically retrieved from sexually inactive females, underwent first in vitro maturation (IVM) and then in vitro fertilization via piezo-intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Injected oocytes were then cultivated with two different approaches: (i) in an in vitro culture and (ii) in an isolated mouse oviduct organ culture system. The second approach led to the development of blastocysts, which were fixed and stained for further analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raffaella Simone
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) in the Forschungsverbund Berlin eV, Reproduction Management, Alfred-Kowalke-Straße, Berlin, Germany
- Freie Universitaet Berlin, Veterinary Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Daniel Čižmár
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) in the Forschungsverbund Berlin eV, Reproduction Management, Alfred-Kowalke-Straße, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Susanne Holtze
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) in the Forschungsverbund Berlin eV, Reproduction Management, Alfred-Kowalke-Straße, Berlin, Germany
| | - Geert Michel
- FEM, Transgenic Technologies, Charité-Universitätsmedizin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Anje Sporbert
- Advanced Light Microscopy Technology Platform (Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine), Campus Buch, Berlin, Germany
| | - Charlotte Okolo
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) in the Forschungsverbund Berlin eV, Reproduction Management, Alfred-Kowalke-Straße, Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas B Hildebrandt
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) in the Forschungsverbund Berlin eV, Reproduction Management, Alfred-Kowalke-Straße, Berlin, Germany
- Freie Universitaet Berlin, Veterinary Medicine, Berlin, Germany
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5
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Wlaschek M, Singh K, Maity P, Scharffetter-Kochanek K. The skin of the naked mole-rat and its resilience against aging and cancer. Mech Ageing Dev 2023; 216:111887. [PMID: 37993056 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2023.111887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
The naked mole-rat (NMR) Heterocephalus glaber (from the Greek/latin words ἕτερος, heteros = divergent, κεφαλή, kephalē = head and glabra = hairless) was first described by Rüppell (Fig. 1) and belongs to the Hystricognath (from the Greek words ὕστριξ, hystrix = porcupine and γνάθος, gnathos = jaw) as a suborder of rodents. NMR are characterized by the highest longevity among rodents and reveal a profound cancer resistance. Details of its skin-specific protective and resistance mechanisms against aging and carcinogenesis have so far not been adequately characterized. Recently, our knowledge of NMR skin biology was complemented and expanded by published data using state-of-the art histological and molecular techniques. Here we review and integrate novel published data regarding skin morphology and histology of the aging NMR and the underlying mechanisms at the cellular and molecular level. We relate this data to the longevity of the NMR and its resistance to neoplastic transformation and discuss further open questions to understand its extraordinary longevity. In addition, we will address the exposome, defined as "the total of all non-genetic, endogenous and exogenous environmental influences" on the skin, respiratory tract, stomach, and intestine. Finally, we will discuss in perspective further intriguing possibilities arising from the interaction of skin with other organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meinhard Wlaschek
- Department of Dermatology and Allergic Diseases, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany.
| | - Karmveer Singh
- Department of Dermatology and Allergic Diseases, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany.
| | - Pallab Maity
- Department of Dermatology and Allergic Diseases, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany.
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6
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Kawamura Y, Oka K, Semba T, Takamori M, Sugiura Y, Yamasaki R, Suzuki Y, Chujo T, Nagase M, Oiwa Y, Fujioka S, Homma S, Yamamura Y, Miyawaki S, Narita M, Fukuda T, Sakai Y, Ishimoto T, Tomizawa K, Suematsu M, Yamamoto T, Bono H, Okano H, Miura K. Cellular senescence induction leads to progressive cell death via the INK4a-RB pathway in naked mole-rats. EMBO J 2023; 42:e111133. [PMID: 37431790 PMCID: PMC10425838 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2022111133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Naked mole-rats (NMRs) have exceptional longevity and are resistant to age-related physiological decline and diseases. Given the role of cellular senescence in aging, we postulated that NMRs possess unidentified species-specific mechanisms to prevent senescent cell accumulation. Here, we show that upon induction of cellular senescence, NMR fibroblasts underwent delayed and progressive cell death that required activation of the INK4a-retinoblastoma protein (RB) pathway (termed "INK4a-RB cell death"), a phenomenon not observed in mouse fibroblasts. Naked mole-rat fibroblasts uniquely accumulated serotonin and were inherently vulnerable to hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ). After activation of the INK4a-RB pathway, NMR fibroblasts increased monoamine oxidase levels, leading to serotonin oxidization and H2 O2 production, which resulted in increased intracellular oxidative damage and cell death activation. In the NMR lung, induction of cellular senescence caused delayed, progressive cell death mediated by monoamine oxidase activation, thereby preventing senescent cell accumulation, consistent with in vitro results. The present findings indicate that INK4a-RB cell death likely functions as a natural senolytic mechanism in NMRs, providing an evolutionary rationale for senescent cell removal as a strategy to resist aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshimi Kawamura
- Department of Aging and Longevity ResearchKumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
- Biomedical Animal Research Laboratory, Institute for Genetic MedicineHokkaido UniversitySapporoJapan
- Department of PhysiologyKeio University School of MedicineTokyoJapan
| | - Kaori Oka
- Department of Aging and Longevity ResearchKumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
- Biomedical Animal Research Laboratory, Institute for Genetic MedicineHokkaido UniversitySapporoJapan
| | - Takashi Semba
- Gastrointestinal Cancer Biology, International Research Center for Medical Sciences (IRCMS)Kumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
| | - Mayuko Takamori
- Department of Aging and Longevity ResearchKumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
- Biomedical Animal Research Laboratory, Institute for Genetic MedicineHokkaido UniversitySapporoJapan
| | - Yuki Sugiura
- Department of BiochemistryKeio University School of MedicineTokyoJapan
| | - Riyo Yamasaki
- Department of Aging and Longevity ResearchKumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
| | - Yusuke Suzuki
- Department of Aging and Longevity ResearchKumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
| | - Takeshi Chujo
- Department of Molecular PhysiologyKumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
| | - Mari Nagase
- Department of Aging and Longevity ResearchKumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
| | - Yuki Oiwa
- Department of Aging and Longevity ResearchKumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
- Biomedical Animal Research Laboratory, Institute for Genetic MedicineHokkaido UniversitySapporoJapan
- Department of Chemical BiologyNational Center for Geriatrics and GerontologyObuJapan
| | - Shusuke Fujioka
- Department of Aging and Longevity ResearchKumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
- Biomedical Animal Research Laboratory, Institute for Genetic MedicineHokkaido UniversitySapporoJapan
| | - Sayuri Homma
- Department of PharmacologyHoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical SciencesTokyoJapan
| | - Yuki Yamamura
- Department of Aging and Longevity ResearchKumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
| | - Shingo Miyawaki
- Biomedical Animal Research Laboratory, Institute for Genetic MedicineHokkaido UniversitySapporoJapan
- Laboratory of Veterinary Surgery, Faculty of Applied Biological SciencesGifu UniversityGifuJapan
| | - Minoru Narita
- Department of PharmacologyHoshi University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical SciencesTokyoJapan
- Division of Cancer PathophysiologyNational Cancer Center Research Institute (NCCRI)TokyoJapan
| | - Takaichi Fukuda
- Department of Anatomy and NeurobiologyKumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
| | - Yusuke Sakai
- Department of PathologyNational Institute of Infectious DiseasesTokyoJapan
| | - Takatsugu Ishimoto
- Gastrointestinal Cancer Biology, International Research Center for Medical Sciences (IRCMS)Kumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Graduate School of Medical SciencesKumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
| | - Kazuhito Tomizawa
- Department of Molecular PhysiologyKumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
- Center for Metabolic Regulation of Healthy AgingKumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
| | - Makoto Suematsu
- Department of BiochemistryKeio University School of MedicineTokyoJapan
- WPI‐Bio2Q Research CenterCentral Institute for Experimental AnimalsKawasakiJapan
| | - Takuya Yamamoto
- Department of Life Science Frontiers, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA)Kyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
- Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (WPI‐ASHBi), Kyoto UniversityKyotoJapan
- Medical‐risk Avoidance based on iPS Cells TeamRIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project (AIP)KyotoJapan
| | - Hidemasa Bono
- Laboratory of Genome Informatics, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for LifeHiroshima UniversityHigashi‐HiroshimaJapan
- Laboratory of BioDX, PtBio Collaborative Research Laboratory, Genome Editing Innovation CenterHiroshima UniversityHigashi‐HiroshimaJapan
| | - Hideyuki Okano
- Department of PhysiologyKeio University School of MedicineTokyoJapan
| | - Kyoko Miura
- Department of Aging and Longevity ResearchKumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
- Biomedical Animal Research Laboratory, Institute for Genetic MedicineHokkaido UniversitySapporoJapan
- Department of PhysiologyKeio University School of MedicineTokyoJapan
- Center for Metabolic Regulation of Healthy AgingKumamoto UniversityKumamotoJapan
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7
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Harries LW. Dysregulated RNA processing and metabolism: a new hallmark of ageing and provocation for cellular senescence. FEBS J 2023; 290:1221-1234. [PMID: 35460337 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The human genome is capable of producing hundreds of thousands of different proteins and non-coding RNAs from <20 000 genes, in a co-ordinated and regulated fashion. This is achieved by a collection of phenomena known as mRNA processing and metabolism, and encompasses events in the life cycle of an RNA from synthesis to degradation. These factors are critical determinants of cellular adaptability and plasticity, which allows the cell to adjust its transcriptomic output in response to its internal and external environment. Evidence is building that dysfunctional RNA processing and metabolism may be a key contributor to the development of cellular senescence. Senescent cells by definition have exited cell cycle, but have gained functional features such as the secretion of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), a known driver of chronic disease and perhaps even ageing itself. In this review, I will outline the impact of dysregulated mRNA processing and metabolism on senescence and ageing at the level of genes, cells and systems, and describe the mechanisms by which progressive deterioration in these processes may impact senescence and organismal ageing. Finally, I will present the evidence implicating this important process as a new hallmark of ageing, which could be harnessed in the future to develop new senotherapeutic interventions for chronic disease.
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8
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Oka K, Yamakawa M, Kawamura Y, Kutsukake N, Miura K. The Naked Mole-Rat as a Model for Healthy Aging. Annu Rev Anim Biosci 2023; 11:207-226. [PMID: 36318672 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-animal-050322-074744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Naked mole-rats (NMRs, Heterocephalus glaber) are the longest-lived rodents with a maximum life span exceeding 37 years. They exhibit a delayed aging phenotype and resistance to age-related functional decline/diseases. Specifically, they do not display increased mortality with age, maintain several physiological functions until nearly the end of their lifetime, and rarely develop cancer and Alzheimer's disease. NMRs live in a hypoxic environment in underground colonies in East Africa and are highly tolerant of hypoxia. These unique characteristics of NMRs have attracted considerable interest from zoological and biomedical researchers. This review summarizes previous studies of the ecology, hypoxia tolerance, longevity/delayed aging, and cancer resistance of NMRs and discusses possible mechanisms contributing to their healthy aging. In addition, we discuss current issues and future perspectives to fully elucidate the mechanisms underlying delayed aging and resistance to age-related diseases in NMRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaori Oka
- Department of Aging and Longevity Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan; , ,
| | - Masanori Yamakawa
- Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, Sokendai (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Kanagawa, Japan; ,
| | - Yoshimi Kawamura
- Department of Aging and Longevity Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan; , ,
| | - Nobuyuki Kutsukake
- Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, Sokendai (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Kanagawa, Japan; , .,Research Center for Integrative Evolutionary Science, Sokendai (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Kyoko Miura
- Department of Aging and Longevity Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan; , , .,Center for Metabolic Regulation of Healthy Aging, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
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9
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Pup Recruitment in a Eusocial Mammal-Which Factors Influence Early Pup Survival in Naked Mole-Rats? Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13040630. [PMID: 36830417 PMCID: PMC9951735 DOI: 10.3390/ani13040630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
In eusocial insects, offspring survival strongly depends on the quality and quantity of non-breeders. In contrast, the influence of social factors on offspring survival is more variable in cooperatively breeding mammals since maternal traits also play an important role. This difference between cooperative insects and mammals is generally attributed to the difference in the level of sociality. Examining offspring survival in eusocial mammals should, therefore, clarify to what extent social organization and taxonomic differences determine the relative contribution of non-breeders and maternal effects to offspring survival. Here, we present the first in-depth and long-term study on the influence of individual, maternal, social and environmental characteristics on early offspring survival in a eusocial breeding mammal, the naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber). Similarly to other mammals, pup birth mass and maternal characteristics such as body mass and the number of mammae significantly affected early pup survival. In this eusocial species, the number of non-breeders had a significant influence on early pup survival, but this influence was negative-potentially an artifact of captivity. By contrasting our findings with known determinants of survival in eusocial insects we contribute to a better understanding of the origin and maintenance of eusociality in mammals.
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Yamamura Y, Kawamura Y, Oka K, Miura K. Carcinogenesis resistance in the longest-lived rodent, the naked mole-rat. Cancer Sci 2022; 113:4030-4036. [PMID: 36083242 DOI: 10.1111/cas.15570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Certain mammalian species are resistant to cancer, and a better understanding of how this cancer resistance arises could provide valuable insights for basic cancer research. Recent technological innovations in molecular biology have allowed the study of cancer-resistant mammals, despite the fact that they are not the classical model animals, which are easily studied using genetic approaches. Naked mole-rats (NMRs; Heterocephalus glaber) are the longest-lived rodent, with a maximum lifespan of more than 37 years, and almost never show spontaneous carcinogenesis. NMRs are currently attracting much attention from aging and cancer researchers, and published studies on NMR have continued to increase over the past decade. Cancer development occurs via multiple steps and involves many biological processes. Recent research on the NMR as a model for cancer resistance suggests that they possess various unique carcinogenesis-resistance mechanisms, including efficient DNA repair pathways, cell-autonomous resistance to transformation, and dampened inflammatory response. Here, we summarize the molecular mechanisms of carcinogenesis resistance in NMR, which have been uncovered over the past two decades, and discuss future perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Yamamura
- Department of Aging and Longevity Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Yoshimi Kawamura
- Department of Aging and Longevity Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Kaori Oka
- Department of Aging and Longevity Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
| | - Kyoko Miura
- Department of Aging and Longevity Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.,Center for Metabolic Regulation of Healthy Aging, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan
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11
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Szafranski K, Wetzel M, Holtze S, Büntjen I, Lieckfeldt D, Ludwig A, Huse K, Platzer M, Hildebrandt T. The Mating Pattern of Captive Naked Mole-Rats Is Best Described by a Monogamy Model. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.855688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Naked mole-rats form colonies with a single reproductively active female surrounded by subordinate workers. Workers perform offspring care, construction and defense of the burrow system, and food supply. Such division of labor, called “cooperative breeding,” is strongly associated with the evolution of monogamous mating behavior, as seen in several mammalian lineages. This association is explained by the evolutionary theory of kin selection, according to which a subordinate adult may help to raise other’s offspring if they are in full sibling relationship. In conflict with this theory, the naked mole-rat is widely considered to be polyandrous, based on reports on multiple males contributing to a colony’s progeny. In order to resolve this contrast, we undertook an in-depth microsatellite-based kinship analysis on captive colonies. Four independent colonies comprising a total of 265 animals were genotyped using a panel of 73 newly established microsatellite markers. Our results show that each mole-rat colony contains a single monogamous breeder pair, which translates to a reproductive skew of 100% for both sexes. This finding, also in conjunction with previously published parental data, favors monogamy as the best-fitting model to describe naked mole-rat reproduction patterns. Polyandry or other polygamous reproduction models are disfavored and should be considered as exceptional. Overall, the empirical genetic data are in agreement with the kin selection theory.
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12
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Savina A, Jaffredo T, Saldmann F, Faulkes CG, Moguelet P, Leroy C, Marmol DD, Codogno P, Foucher L, Zalc A, Viltard M, Friedlander G, Aractingi S, Fontaine RH. Single-cell transcriptomics reveals age-resistant maintenance of cell identities, stem cell compartments and differentiation trajectories in long-lived naked mole-rats skin. Aging (Albany NY) 2022; 14:3728-3756. [PMID: 35507806 PMCID: PMC9134947 DOI: 10.18632/aging.204054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Naked mole-rats (NMR) are subterranean rodents characterized by an unusual longevity coupled with an unexplained resistance to aging. In the present study, we performed extensive in situ analysis and single-cell RNA-sequencing comparing young and older animals. At variance with other species, NMR exhibited a striking stability of skin compartments and cell types, which remained stable over time without aging-associated changes. Remarkably, the number of stem cells was constant throughout aging. We found three classical cellular states defining a unique keratinocyte differentiation trajectory that were not altered after pseudo-temporal reconstruction. Epidermal gene expression did not change with aging either. Langerhans cell clusters were conserved, and only a higher basal stem cell expression of Igfbp3 was found in aged animals. In accordance, NMR skin healing closure was similar in young and older animals. Altogether, these results indicate that NMR skin is characterized by peculiar genetic and cellular features, different from those previously demonstrated for mice and humans. The remarkable stability of the aging NMR skin transcriptome likely reflects unaltered homeostasis and resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thierry Jaffredo
- Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS), Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, INSERM, Paris, France
| | | | - Chris G. Faulkes
- Queen Mary University of London, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, London, United Kingdom
| | - Philippe Moguelet
- Service d'Anatomie et Cytologie Pathologiques, Hôpital Tenon, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Christine Leroy
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Necker-Enfants Malades, Paris, France
| | | | - Patrice Codogno
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Necker-Enfants Malades, Paris, France
| | - Lucy Foucher
- Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Centre de Recherche Biomédicale, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Antoine Zalc
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Cochin, Paris, France
| | - Mélanie Viltard
- Fondation pour la Recherche en Physiologie, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Gérard Friedlander
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Necker-Enfants Malades, Paris, France
| | - Selim Aractingi
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Cochin, Paris, France
- Service de Dermatologie, Hôpital Cochin, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, France
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13
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Oka K, Fujioka S, Kawamura Y, Komohara Y, Chujo T, Sekiguchi K, Yamamura Y, Oiwa Y, Omamiuda-Ishikawa N, Komaki S, Sutoh Y, Sakurai S, Tomizawa K, Bono H, Shimizu A, Araki K, Yamamoto T, Yamada Y, Oshiumi H, Miura K. Resistance to chemical carcinogenesis induction via a dampened inflammatory response in naked mole-rats. Commun Biol 2022; 5:287. [PMID: 35354912 PMCID: PMC8967925 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03241-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Naked mole-rats (NMRs) have a very low spontaneous carcinogenesis rate, which has prompted studies on the responsible mechanisms to provide clues for human cancer prevention. However, it remains unknown whether and how NMR tissues respond to experimental carcinogenesis induction. Here, we show that NMRs exhibit extraordinary resistance against potent chemical carcinogenesis induction through a dampened inflammatory response. Although carcinogenic insults damaged skin cells of both NMRs and mice, NMR skin showed markedly lower immune cell infiltration. NMRs harbour loss-of-function mutations in RIPK3 and MLKL genes, which are essential for necroptosis, a type of necrotic cell death that activates strong inflammation. In mice, disruption of Ripk3 reduced immune cell infiltration and delayed carcinogenesis. Therefore, necroptosis deficiency may serve as a cancer resistance mechanism via attenuating the inflammatory response in NMRs. Our study sheds light on the importance of a dampened inflammatory response as a non-cell-autonomous cancer resistance mechanism in NMRs. Naked mole rats are found to be resistant to cancer development through dampened inflammatory response due to genetically determined impaired necroptosis, with essential necroptosis genes RIPK3 and MLKL containing mutations causing premature stop codons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaori Oka
- Department of Aging and Longevity Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-0811, Japan.,Biomedical Animal Research Laboratory, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0815, Japan
| | - Shusuke Fujioka
- Department of Aging and Longevity Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-0811, Japan.,Biomedical Animal Research Laboratory, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0815, Japan
| | - Yoshimi Kawamura
- Department of Aging and Longevity Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-0811, Japan.,Biomedical Animal Research Laboratory, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0815, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Komohara
- Department of Cell Pathology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan
| | - Takeshi Chujo
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan
| | - Koki Sekiguchi
- Department of Aging and Longevity Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-0811, Japan
| | - Yuki Yamamura
- Department of Aging and Longevity Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-0811, Japan
| | - Yuki Oiwa
- Department of Aging and Longevity Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-0811, Japan.,Biomedical Animal Research Laboratory, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0815, Japan
| | - Natsuko Omamiuda-Ishikawa
- Department of Aging and Longevity Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-0811, Japan
| | - Shohei Komaki
- Division of Biomedical Information Analysis, Iwate Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Disaster Reconstruction Center, Iwate Medical University, Iwate, 028-3694, Japan
| | - Yoichi Sutoh
- Division of Biomedical Information Analysis, Iwate Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Disaster Reconstruction Center, Iwate Medical University, Iwate, 028-3694, Japan
| | - Satoko Sakurai
- Department of Life Science Frontiers, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan
| | - Kazuhito Tomizawa
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan.,Center for Metabolic Regulation of Healthy Aging, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan
| | - Hidemasa Bono
- Program of Biomedical Science, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, 739-0046, Japan
| | - Atsushi Shimizu
- Division of Biomedical Information Analysis, Iwate Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization, Disaster Reconstruction Center, Iwate Medical University, Iwate, 028-3694, Japan.,Division of Biomedical Information Analysis, Institute for Biomedical Sciences, Iwate Medical University, Iwate, 028-3694, Japan
| | - Kimi Araki
- Center for Metabolic Regulation of Healthy Aging, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan.,Institute of Resource Development and Analysis, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-0811, Japan
| | - Takuya Yamamoto
- Department of Life Science Frontiers, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan.,Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology (WPI-ASHBi), Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan.,Medical-risk Avoidance based on iPS Cells Team, RIKEN Center for Advanced Intelligence Project (AIP), Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan.,AMED-CREST, AMED, Tokyo, 100-0004, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Yamada
- AMED-CREST, AMED, Tokyo, 100-0004, Japan.,Division of Stem Cell Pathology, Center for Experimental Medicine and Systems Biology, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 108-8639, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Oshiumi
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan
| | - Kyoko Miura
- Department of Aging and Longevity Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-0811, Japan. .,Biomedical Animal Research Laboratory, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0815, Japan. .,Center for Metabolic Regulation of Healthy Aging, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan.
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14
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Yamamura Y, Kawamura Y, Oiwa Y, Oka K, Onishi N, Saya H, Miura K. Isolation and characterization of neural stem/progenitor cells in the subventricular zone of the naked mole-rat brain. Inflamm Regen 2021; 41:31. [PMID: 34719407 PMCID: PMC8559411 DOI: 10.1186/s41232-021-00182-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 09/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The naked mole-rat (NMR) is the longest-lived rodent with a maximum lifespan of more than 37 years and shows a negligible senescence phenotype, suggesting that tissue stem cells of NMRs are highly capable of maintaining homeostasis. However, the properties of NMR tissue stem cells, including neural stem cells (NSCs), are largely unclear. Methods Neural stem/progenitor cells (NS/PCs) were isolated from the subventricular zone of the neonate NMR brain (NMR-NS/PCs) and cultured in neurosphere and adherent culture conditions. Expression of NSC markers and markers of neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes was analyzed by immunocytochemistry. In adherent culture conditions, the proliferation rate and cell cycle of NMR-NS/PCs were assessed and compared with those of NS/PCs from mice (mouse-NS/PCs). The DNA damage response to γ-irradiation was analyzed by immunocytochemistry and reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. Results NMR-NS/PCs expressed several NSC markers and differentiated into neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes. NMR-NS/PCs proliferated markedly slower than mouse-NS/PCs, and a higher percentage of NMR-NS/PCs than mouse-NS/PCs was in G0/G1 phase. Notably, upon γ-irradiation, NMR-NS/PCs exhibited a faster initiation of the DNA damage response and were less prone to dying than mouse-NS/PCs. Conclusions NMR-NS/PCs were successfully isolated and cultured. The slow proliferation of NMR-NS/PCs and their resistance to DNA damage may help to prevent stem cell exhaustion in the brain during the long lifespan of NMRs. Our findings provide novel insights into the mechanism underlying delayed aging of NMRs. Further analysis of NMR tissue stem cells may lead to the development of new strategies that can prevent aging in humans. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s41232-021-00182-7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Yamamura
- Department of Aging and Longevity Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-0811, Japan
| | - Yoshimi Kawamura
- Department of Aging and Longevity Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-0811, Japan
| | - Yuki Oiwa
- Department of Aging and Longevity Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-0811, Japan
| | - Kaori Oka
- Department of Aging and Longevity Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-0811, Japan
| | - Nobuyuki Onishi
- Division of Gene Regulation, Institute for Advanced Medical Research, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, 160-0016, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Saya
- Division of Gene Regulation, Institute for Advanced Medical Research, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, 160-0016, Japan
| | - Kyoko Miura
- Department of Aging and Longevity Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-0811, Japan. .,Center for Metabolic Regulation of Healthy Aging, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan.
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15
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Zhang L, Dong X, Tian X, Lee M, Ablaeva J, Firsanov D, Lee SG, Maslov AY, Gladyshev VN, Seluanov A, Gorbunova V, Vijg J. Maintenance of genome sequence integrity in long- and short-lived rodent species. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabj3284. [PMID: 34705500 PMCID: PMC8550225 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abj3284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
DNA mutations in somatic cells have been implicated in the causation of aging, with longer-lived species having a higher capacity to maintain genome sequence integrity than shorter-lived species. In an attempt to directly test this hypothesis, we used single-cell whole-genome sequencing to analyze spontaneous and bleomycin-induced somatic mutations in lung fibroblasts of four rodent species with distinct maximum life spans, including mouse, guinea pig, blind mole-rat, and naked mole-rat, as well as humans. As predicted, the mutagen-induced mutation frequencies inversely correlated with species-specific maximum life span, with the greatest difference observed between the mouse and all other species. These results suggest that long-lived species are capable of processing DNA damage in a more accurate way than short-lived species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Zhang
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Institute on the Biology of Aging and Metabolism, and Department of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Xiao Dong
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Institute on the Biology of Aging and Metabolism, and Department of Genetics, Cell Biology, and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Xiao Tian
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
| | - Moonsook Lee
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Julia Ablaeva
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
| | - Denis Firsanov
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
| | - Sang-Goo Lee
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Alexander Y. Maslov
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Laboratory of Applied Genomic Technologies, Voronezh State University of Engineering Technology, Voronezh, Russia
| | - Vadim N. Gladyshev
- Division of Genetics, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Andrei Seluanov
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
| | - Vera Gorbunova
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14627, USA
| | - Jan Vijg
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Center for Single-Cell Omics, School of Public Health, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
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16
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Jacobs PJ, Hart DW, Bennett NC. Plasma oxidative stress in reproduction of two eusocial African mole-rat species, the naked mole-rat and the Damaraland mole-rat. Front Zool 2021; 18:45. [PMID: 34535150 PMCID: PMC8447654 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-021-00430-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the most prominent life-history trade-offs involves the cost of reproduction. Oxidative stress has been proposed to be involved in this trade-off and has been associated with reduced life span. There is currently an unclear relationship between oxidative cost and the reproduction-longevity trade-off. The current study, using a non-lethal and minimally invasive (only a single blood sample and no euthanasia) method, investigated whether an oxidative cost (oxidative stress) to reproduction would be apparent in two long-lived eusocial mole-rats, the naked mole-rat (NMR), Heterocephalus glaber, and the Damaraland mole-rat (DMR), Fukomys damarensis, where breeding colony members live longer than non-breeder conspecifics. We measured the direct redox balance in plasma by measuring the oxidative stress index (OSI) based on the ratio of total oxidant status and total antioxidant activity in breeders and non-breeders of both sexes, in the two species. NMR had significantly higher OSI between breeders and non-breeders of each sex, whereas DMR showed no significant differences except for total antioxidant capacity (TAC). The mode of reproductive suppression and the degree of reproductive investment in NMR may explain to some degree the redox balance difference between breeders and non-breeders. DMR show minimal physiological changes between breeders and non-breeders except for the mode of reproduction, which may explain some variations in TAC and TOS values, but similar OSI between breeders and non-breeders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Juan Jacobs
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa.
| | - Daniel William Hart
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa
| | - Nigel Charles Bennett
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa
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17
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Narayan V, McMahon M, O'Brien JJ, McAllister F, Buffenstein R. Insights into the Molecular Basis of Genome Stability and Pristine Proteostasis in Naked Mole-Rats. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1319:287-314. [PMID: 34424521 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-65943-1_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber) is the longest-lived rodent, with a maximal reported lifespan of 37 years. In addition to its long lifespan - which is much greater than predicted based on its small body size (longevity quotient of ~4.2) - naked mole-rats are also remarkably healthy well into old age. This is reflected in a striking resistance to tumorigenesis and minimal declines in cardiovascular, neurological and reproductive function in older animals. Over the past two decades, researchers have been investigating the molecular mechanisms regulating the extended life- and health- span of this animal, and since the sequencing and assembly of the naked mole-rat genome in 2011, progress has been rapid. Here, we summarize findings from published studies exploring the unique molecular biology of the naked mole-rat, with a focus on mechanisms and pathways contributing to genome stability and maintenance of proteostasis during aging. We also present new data from our laboratory relevant to the topic and discuss our findings in the context of the published literature.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mary McMahon
- Calico Life Sciences, LLC, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Rochelle Buffenstein
- Calico Life Sciences, LLC, South San Francisco, CA, USA. .,Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.
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18
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Morevati M, Mace ML, Egstrand S, Nordholm A, Doganli C, Strand J, Rukov JL, Torsetnes SB, Gorbunova V, Olgaard K, Lewin E. Extrarenal expression of α-klotho, the kidney related longevity gene, in Heterocephalus glaber, the long living Naked Mole Rat. Sci Rep 2021; 11:15375. [PMID: 34321565 PMCID: PMC8319335 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-94972-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The Naked Mole Rat (NMR), Heterocephalus glaber, provides an interesting model for studying biomarkers of longevity due to its long lifespan of more than 30 years, almost ten times longer than that of mice and rats. α-Klotho (klotho) is an aging-suppressor gene, and overexpression of klotho is associated with extended lifespan in mice. Klotho is predominantly expressed in the kidney. The expression profile of klotho in the NMR has not previously been reported. The present investigation studied the expression of klotho in the kidney of NMR with that of Rattus Norvegicus (RN) and demonstrated that klotho was expressed in the kidney of NMR at the same level as found in RN. Besides, a significant expression of Kl mRNA was found in the liver of NMR, in contrast to RN, where no hepatic expression was detected. The Klotho expression was further confirmed at the protein level. Thus, the results of the present comparative study indicate a differential tissue expression of klotho between different species. Besides its important function in the kidney, Klotho might also be of significance in the liver of NMR. It is suggested that the hepatic extrarenal expression of klotho may function as a further longevity-related factor in supplement to the Klotho in the kidney.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Morevati
- Nephrological Department P 2131, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, 9 Blegdamsvej, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - M L Mace
- Nephrological Department P 2131, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, 9 Blegdamsvej, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - S Egstrand
- Nephrological Department P 2131, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, 9 Blegdamsvej, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Nephrological Department B, Herlev Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - A Nordholm
- Nephrological Department P 2131, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, 9 Blegdamsvej, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Nephrological Department B, Herlev Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - C Doganli
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - J Strand
- Randers Regnskov, Randers, Denmark
| | - J L Rukov
- Nephrological Department P 2131, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, 9 Blegdamsvej, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - S B Torsetnes
- Department of Neurology, Akershus University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - V Gorbunova
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - K Olgaard
- Nephrological Department P 2131, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, 9 Blegdamsvej, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - E Lewin
- Nephrological Department P 2131, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, 9 Blegdamsvej, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Nephrological Department B, Herlev Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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19
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Ghosh S, Lewis KN, Tulsian R, Astafev AA, Buffenstein R, Kondratov RV. It's about time; divergent circadian clocks in livers of mice and naked mole-rats. FASEB J 2021; 35:e21590. [PMID: 33871093 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202100116r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Light is the key regulator of circadian clock, the time-keeping system synchronizing organism physiology and behavior with environmental day and night conditions. In its natural habitat, the strictly subterranean naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber) has lived in a light-free environment for millennia. We questioned if this species retains a circadian clock and if the patterns of this clock and concomitant rhythms differed in liver tissue from mice and naked mole-rats. As expected, in mice, the various circadian clock genes peaked at different times of the day; the Period gene (Per) group peaked in the evening, whereas Brain and Muscle ARNT-like1 (Bmal1) gene peaked in the morning; this phase shift is considered to be fundamental for circadian clock function. In sharp contrast, in the naked mole-rat both Per1 and Per2, as well as Bmal1, peaked at the same time in the morning-around ZT2-suggesting the organization of the molecular circadian oscillator was different. Moreover, gene expression rhythms associated with glucose metabolism and mTOR signaling also differed between the species. Although the activity of mTORC1 was lower, while that of mTORC2 was higher in naked mole-rat livers compared to mice, unlike that of mice where the expression profiles of glucose metabolism genes were not synchronized, these were highly synchronized in naked mole-rats and likely linked to their use of feeding times at zeitgebers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soumyaditya Ghosh
- BGES Department, Center for Gene Regulation in Health and Disease, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Kaitlyn N Lewis
- Barshop Institute for Aging and Longevity Studies, UTHSCSA, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Richa Tulsian
- BGES Department, Center for Gene Regulation in Health and Disease, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Artem A Astafev
- BGES Department, Center for Gene Regulation in Health and Disease, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Rochelle Buffenstein
- Barshop Institute for Aging and Longevity Studies, UTHSCSA, San Antonio, TX, USA.,Calico Life Sciences LLC, South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Roman V Kondratov
- BGES Department, Center for Gene Regulation in Health and Disease, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH, USA
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20
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Giraldo YM, Muscedere ML, Traniello JFA. Eusociality and Senescence: Neuroprotection and Physiological Resilience to Aging in Insect and Mammalian Systems. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:673172. [PMID: 34211973 PMCID: PMC8239293 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.673172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Are eusociality and extraordinary aging polyphenisms evolutionarily coupled? The remarkable disparity in longevity between social insect queens and sterile workers-decades vs. months, respectively-has long been recognized. In mammals, the lifespan of eusocial naked mole rats is extremely long-roughly 10 times greater than that of mice. Is this robustness to senescence associated with social evolution and shared mechanisms of developmental timing, neuroprotection, antioxidant defenses, and neurophysiology? Focusing on brain senescence, we examine correlates and consequences of aging across two divergent eusocial clades and how they differ from solitary taxa. Chronological age and physiological indicators of neural deterioration, including DNA damage or cell death, appear to be decoupled in eusocial insects. In some species, brain cell death does not increase with worker age and DNA damage occurs at similar rates between queens and workers. In comparison, naked mole rats exhibit characteristics of neonatal mice such as protracted development that may offer protection from aging and environmental stressors. Antioxidant defenses appear to be regulated differently across taxa, suggesting independent adaptations to life history and environment. Eusocial insects and naked mole rats appear to have evolved different mechanisms that lead to similar senescence-resistant phenotypes. Careful selection of comparison taxa and further exploration of the role of metabolism in aging can reveal mechanisms that preserve brain functionality and physiological resilience in eusocial species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ysabel Milton Giraldo
- Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
- Graduate Neuroscience Program, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Mario L. Muscedere
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
- Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - James F. A. Traniello
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
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21
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Targeting Alternative Splicing for Reversal of Cellular Senescence in the Context of Aesthetic Aging. Plast Reconstr Surg 2021; 147:25S-32S. [PMID: 33347071 DOI: 10.1097/prs.0000000000007618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
SUMMARY Cellular senescence is a state of stable cell cycle arrest that has increasingly been linked with cellular, tissue, and organismal aging; targeted removal of senescent cells brings healthspan and lifespan benefits in animal models. Newly emerging approaches to specifically ablate or rejuvenate senescent cells are now the subject of intense study to explore their utility to provide novel treatments for the aesthetic signs and diseases of aging in humans. Here, we discuss different strategies that are being trialed in vitro, and more recently in vivo, for the targeted removal or reversal of senescent cells. Finally, we describe the evidence for a newly emerging molecular mechanism that may underpin senescence; dysregulation of alternative splicing. We will explore the potential of restoring splicing regulation as a novel "senotherapeutic" approach and discuss strategies by which this could be integrated into the established portfolio of skin aging therapeutics.
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22
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Holtze S, Gorshkova E, Braude S, Cellerino A, Dammann P, Hildebrandt TB, Hoeflich A, Hoffmann S, Koch P, Terzibasi Tozzini E, Skulachev M, Skulachev VP, Sahm A. Alternative Animal Models of Aging Research. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:660959. [PMID: 34079817 PMCID: PMC8166319 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.660959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Most research on mechanisms of aging is being conducted in a very limited number of classical model species, i.e., laboratory mouse (Mus musculus), rat (Rattus norvegicus domestica), the common fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) and roundworm (Caenorhabditis elegans). The obvious advantages of using these models are access to resources such as strains with known genetic properties, high-quality genomic and transcriptomic sequencing data, versatile experimental manipulation capabilities including well-established genome editing tools, as well as extensive experience in husbandry. However, this approach may introduce interpretation biases due to the specific characteristics of the investigated species, which may lead to inappropriate, or even false, generalization. For example, it is still unclear to what extent knowledge of aging mechanisms gained in short-lived model organisms is transferable to long-lived species such as humans. In addition, other specific adaptations favoring a long and healthy life from the immense evolutionary toolbox may be entirely missed. In this review, we summarize the specific characteristics of emerging animal models that have attracted the attention of gerontologists, we provide an overview of the available data and resources related to these models, and we summarize important insights gained from them in recent years. The models presented include short-lived ones such as killifish (Nothobranchius furzeri), long-lived ones such as primates (Callithrix jacchus, Cebus imitator, Macaca mulatta), bathyergid mole-rats (Heterocephalus glaber, Fukomys spp.), bats (Myotis spp.), birds, olms (Proteus anguinus), turtles, greenland sharks, bivalves (Arctica islandica), and potentially non-aging ones such as Hydra and Planaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Holtze
- Department of Reproduction Management, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ekaterina Gorshkova
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Stan Braude
- Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Alessandro Cellerino
- Biology Laboratory, Scuola Normale Superiore, Pisa, Italy
- Leibniz Institute on Aging – Fritz Lipmann Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Philip Dammann
- Department of General Zoology, Faculty of Biology, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
- Central Animal Laboratory, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Thomas B. Hildebrandt
- Department of Reproduction Management, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Free University of Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas Hoeflich
- Division Signal Transduction, Institute for Genome Biology, Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology, Dummerstorf, Germany
| | - Steve Hoffmann
- Computational Biology Group, Leibniz Institute on Aging – Fritz Lipmann Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Philipp Koch
- Core Facility Life Science Computing, Leibniz Institute on Aging – Fritz Lipmann Institute, Jena, Germany
| | - Eva Terzibasi Tozzini
- Department of Biology and Evolution of Marine Organisms, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Naples, Italy
| | - Maxim Skulachev
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Vladimir P. Skulachev
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Arne Sahm
- Computational Biology Group, Leibniz Institute on Aging – Fritz Lipmann Institute, Jena, Germany
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23
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McMahon M, Forester C, Buffenstein R. Aging through an epitranscriptomic lens. NATURE AGING 2021; 1:335-346. [PMID: 37117595 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-021-00058-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
The mechanistic causes of aging, the time-related decline in function and good health that leads to increased mortality, remain poorly understood. Here we propose that age-dependent alteration of the epitranscriptome, encompassing more than 150 chemically distinct post-transcriptional modifications or editing events, warrants exploration as an important modulator of aging. The epitranscriptome is a potent regulator of RNA function, diverse cellular processes and tissue regenerative capacity. To date, only a few studies link alterations in the epitranscriptome to molecular and physiological changes during aging; however, epitranscriptome dysfunction is associated with and underlies several age-associated pathologies, including cancer and neurodegenerative, cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases. For example, changes in RNA modifications (such as N6-methyladenosine and inosine) impact cardiac physiology and are linked to cardiac fibrosis. Although an uncharted research focus, mapping epitranscriptome alterations in the context of aging may elucidate novel predictors of both health and lifespan, and may identify therapeutic targets for attenuating aging and abrogating age-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary McMahon
- Calico Life Sciences LLC, South San Francisco, CA, USA.
| | - Craig Forester
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado, Denver, CO, USA
- Children's Hospital Colorado, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology/Bone Marrow Transplant, Colorado, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
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24
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Prašnikar E, Borišek J, Perdih A. Senescent cells as promising targets to tackle age-related diseases. Ageing Res Rev 2021; 66:101251. [PMID: 33385543 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2020.101251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
As the world's population progressively ages, the burden on the socio-economic and health systems is escalating, demanding sustainable and lasting solutions. Cellular senescence, one of the hallmarks of ageing, is a state of irreversible cell cycle arrest that occurs in response to various genotoxic stressors and is considered an important factor in the development of many age-related diseases and therefore a potential therapeutic target. Here, the role of senescent cells in age-related diseases is discussed, focusing on their formation and main characteristics. The mechanisms leading to senescent cells are presented, including replicative and premature senescence as well as senescence that occurs in various physiological processes, such as wound healing. The second part comprises a comprehensive description of various biomarkers currently used for the detection of senescent cells along with the investigated therapeutic approaches, namely senolytics, senomorphics and the clearance of senescent cells by the immune system. Potential delivery systems suitable for such therapies and model organisms to study senescence are also briefly examined. This in-depth overview of cellular senescence contributes to a deeper understanding of a rapidly evolving area aimed to tackle the age-related diseases in a more mechanistic way, as well as highlights future research opportunities.
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25
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Angarola BL, Anczuków O. Splicing alterations in healthy aging and disease. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2021. [PMID: 33565261 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1643.] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Alternative RNA splicing is a key step in gene expression that allows generation of numerous messenger RNA transcripts encoding proteins of varied functions from the same gene. It is thus a rich source of proteomic and functional diversity. Alterations in alternative RNA splicing are observed both during healthy aging and in a number of human diseases, several of which display premature aging phenotypes or increased incidence with age. Age-associated splicing alterations include differential splicing of genes associated with hallmarks of aging, as well as changes in the levels of core spliceosomal genes and regulatory splicing factors. Here, we review the current known links between alternative RNA splicing, its regulators, healthy biological aging, and diseases associated with aging or aging-like phenotypes. This article is categorized under: RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease RNA Processing > Splicing Regulation/Alternative Splicing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Olga Anczuków
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut, USA.,Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UConn Health, Farmington, Connecticut, USA.,Institute for Systems Genomics, UConn Health, Farmington, Connecticut, USA
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26
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Angarola BL, Anczuków O. Splicing alterations in healthy aging and disease. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-RNA 2021; 12:e1643. [PMID: 33565261 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Revised: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Alternative RNA splicing is a key step in gene expression that allows generation of numerous messenger RNA transcripts encoding proteins of varied functions from the same gene. It is thus a rich source of proteomic and functional diversity. Alterations in alternative RNA splicing are observed both during healthy aging and in a number of human diseases, several of which display premature aging phenotypes or increased incidence with age. Age-associated splicing alterations include differential splicing of genes associated with hallmarks of aging, as well as changes in the levels of core spliceosomal genes and regulatory splicing factors. Here, we review the current known links between alternative RNA splicing, its regulators, healthy biological aging, and diseases associated with aging or aging-like phenotypes. This article is categorized under: RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease RNA Processing > Splicing Regulation/Alternative Splicing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Olga Anczuków
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, Connecticut, USA.,Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UConn Health, Farmington, Connecticut, USA.,Institute for Systems Genomics, UConn Health, Farmington, Connecticut, USA
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27
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Adult Neural Plasticity in Naked Mole-Rats: Implications of Fossoriality, Longevity and Sociality on the Brain's Capacity for Change. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1319:105-135. [PMID: 34424514 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-65943-1_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Naked mole-rats (Heterocephalus glaber) are small African rodents that have many unique behavioral and physiological adaptations well-suited for testing hypotheses about mammalian neural plasticity. In this chapter, we focus on three features of naked mole-rat biology and how they impact neural plasticity in this species: (1) their fossorial lifestyle, (2) their extreme longevity with a lack of demonstrable senescence, and (3) their unusual social structure. Critically, each of these features requires some degree of biological flexibility. First, their fossorial habitat situates them in an environment with characteristics to which the central nervous system is particularly sensitive (e.g., oxygen content, photoperiod, spatial complexity). Second, their long lifespan requires adaptations to combat senescence and declines in neural functioning. Finally, their extreme reproductive skew and sustained ability for release from reproductive suppression indicates remarkable neural sensitivity to the sociosexual environment that is distinct from chronological age. These three features of naked mole-rat life are not mutually exclusive, but they do each offer unique considerations for the possibilities, constraints, and mechanisms associated with adult neural plasticity.
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28
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Hadi F, Smith ESJ, Khaled WT. Naked Mole-Rats: Resistant to Developing Cancer or Good at Avoiding It? ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1319:341-352. [PMID: 34424524 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-65943-1_14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
It is widely accepted that cancer is driven by genetic mutations that confer uncontrolled cell proliferation and tumor formation. For tumors to take hold and grow, cancer cells evolve mechanisms to favorably shape their microenvironment and avoid being cleared by the immune system. Cancer is not unique to human, but rather affects nearly all multicellular organisms albeit to different degrees. The different degrees of cancer susceptibility across the animal kingdom could be attributed to several factors, which have been the subject of several studies in recent years. The naked mole-rat (NMR, Heterocephalus glaber), an exceptionally long-lived rodent, which, as discussed in detail in the next section, displays significant cancer resistance with only a small number of animals being reported to exhibit spontaneous neoplasms. The reason why studying cancer resistance in NMRs is of particular interest is that not only are they now an established laboratory species, but that NMRs are mammals and thus there is great potential for translating knowledge about their cancer resistance into preventing and/or treating cancer in humans and companion animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fazal Hadi
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Ewan St J Smith
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
| | - Walid T Khaled
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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29
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Miura K, Oiwa Y, Kawamura Y. Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells from Cancer-Resistant Naked Mole-Rats. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1319:329-339. [PMID: 34424523 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-65943-1_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Stem cells play essential roles in the development and tissue homeostasis of animals and are closely associated with carcinogenesis and aging. Also, the somatic cell reprogramming process to induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells shares several characteristics with carcinogenesis. In this chapter, we focus on iPS cells and the reprogramming process of somatic cells in the naked mole-rat (NMR), the longest-living rodent with remarkable cancer resistance capabilities. NMR somatic cells show resistance to reprogramming induction, and generated NMR-iPS cells have a unique tumor-resistant phenotype. This phenotype is regulated by expressional activation of the tumor suppressor ARF gene and loss-of-function mutation in oncogene ERAS. Notably, it was also found that NMR somatic cells undergo senescence when ARF is suppressed during reprogramming, which would contribute to the resistance to both reprogramming and cancer in NMR somatic cells. Further studies on reprogramming resistance in NMR somatic cells and their concomitant tumor resistance in NMR-iPS cells would contribute to a better understanding of both cancer resistance and delayed aging in NMRs. In addition, NMR-iPS cells can be used as a new and important cell source for advancing research concerning several extraordinary physiological characteristics of NMR. Furthermore, study of NMR-iPS cells could lead to the development of safer regenerative therapies in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyoko Miura
- Department of Aging and Longevity Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan. .,Biomedical Animal Research Laboratory, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.
| | - Yuki Oiwa
- Department of Aging and Longevity Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.,Biomedical Animal Research Laboratory, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Yoshimi Kawamura
- Department of Aging and Longevity Research, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, Japan.,Biomedical Animal Research Laboratory, Institute for Genetic Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
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30
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Baik AH, Jain IH. Turning the Oxygen Dial: Balancing the Highs and Lows. Trends Cell Biol 2020; 30:516-536. [PMID: 32386878 PMCID: PMC7391449 DOI: 10.1016/j.tcb.2020.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Revised: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Oxygen is both vital and toxic to life. Molecular oxygen is the most used substrate in the human body and is required for several hundred diverse biochemical reactions. The discovery of the PHD-HIF-pVHL system revolutionized our fundamental understanding of oxygen sensing and cellular adaptations to hypoxia. It deepened our knowledge of the biochemical underpinnings of numerous diseases, ranging from anemia to cancer. Cellular dysfunction and tissue pathology can result from a mismatch of oxygen supply and demand. Recent work has shown that mitochondrial disease models display tissue hyperoxia and that disease pathology can be reversed by normalization of excess oxygen, suggesting that certain disease states can potentially be treated by modulating oxygen levels. In this review, we describe cellular and organismal mechanisms of oxygen sensing and adaptation. We provide a revitalized framework for understanding pathologies of too little or too much oxygen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan H Baik
- Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
| | - Isha H Jain
- Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
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31
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Shepard A, Kissil JL. The use of non-traditional models in the study of cancer resistance-the case of the naked mole rat. Oncogene 2020; 39:5083-5097. [PMID: 32535616 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-020-1355-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Non-traditional model organisms are typically defined as any model the deviates from the typical laboratory animals, such as mouse, rat, and worm. These models are becoming increasingly important in human disease research, such as cancer, as they often display unusual biological features. Naked mole rats (NMRs) are currently one of the most popular non-traditional model, particularly in the longevity and cancer research fields. NMRs display an exceptionally long lifespan (~30 years), yet have been observed to display a low incidence of cancer, making them excellent candidates for understanding endogenous cancer resistance mechanisms. Over the past decade, many potential resistance mechanisms have been characterized. These include unique biological mechanisms involved in genome stability, protein stability, oxidative metabolism, and other cellular mechanisms such as cell cycle regulation and senescence. This review aims to summarize the many identified cancer resistance mechanisms to understand some of the main hypotheses that have thus far been generated. Many of these proposed mechanisms remain to be fully characterized or confirmed in vivo, giving the field a direction to grow and further understand the complex biology displayed by the NMR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa Shepard
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL, 33458, USA
| | - Joseph L Kissil
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL, 33458, USA.
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