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Sanchez Sanchez G, Emmrich S, Georga M, Papadaki A, Kossida S, Seluanov A, Gorbunova V, Vermijlen D. Invariant γδTCR natural killer-like effector T cells in the naked mole-rat. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4248. [PMID: 38762584 PMCID: PMC11102460 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48652-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: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber) is a long-lived rodent species showing resistance to the development of cancer. Although naked mole-rats have been reported to lack natural killer (NK) cells, γδ T cell-based immunity has been suggested in this species, which could represent an important arm of the immune system for antitumor responses. Here, we investigate the biology of these unconventional T cells in peripheral tissues (blood, spleen) and thymus of the naked mole-rat at different ages by TCR repertoire profiling and single-cell gene expression analysis. Using our own TCR annotation in the naked mole-rat genome, we report that the γδ TCR repertoire is dominated by a public invariant Vγ4-2/Vδ1-4 TCR, containing the complementary-determining-region-3 (CDR3)γ CTYWDSNYAKKLF / CDR3δ CALWELRTGGITAQLVF that are likely generated by short-homology-repeat-driven DNA rearrangements. This invariant TCR is specifically found in γδ T cells expressing genes associated with NK cytotoxicity and is generated in both the thoracic and cervical thymus of the naked mole-rat until adult life. Our results indicate that invariant Vγ4-2/Vδ1-4 NK-like effector T cells in the naked mole-rat can contribute to tumor immunosurveillance by γδ TCR-mediated recognition of a common molecular signal.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Mole Rats/immunology
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta/metabolism
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta/genetics
- Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta/immunology
- Thymus Gland/immunology
- Thymus Gland/cytology
- Killer Cells, Natural/immunology
- Spleen/immunology
- Complementarity Determining Regions/genetics
- Natural Killer T-Cells/immunology
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillem Sanchez Sanchez
- Department of Pharmacotherapy and Pharmaceutics, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
- Institute for Medical Immunology, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Gosselies, Belgium
- ULB Center for Research in Immunology (U-CRI), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Gosselies, Belgium
- WELBIO Department, WEL Research Institute, Wavre, Belgium
| | - Stephan Emmrich
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Maria Georga
- IMGT®, the international ImMunoGenetics information system®, Institut de Génétique Humaine (IGH), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Montpellier (UM), Montpellier, France
| | - Ariadni Papadaki
- IMGT®, the international ImMunoGenetics information system®, Institut de Génétique Humaine (IGH), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Montpellier (UM), Montpellier, France
| | - Sofia Kossida
- IMGT®, the international ImMunoGenetics information system®, Institut de Génétique Humaine (IGH), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université de Montpellier (UM), Montpellier, France
| | - Andrei Seluanov
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center and Medicine, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Vera Gorbunova
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center and Medicine, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - David Vermijlen
- Department of Pharmacotherapy and Pharmaceutics, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium.
- Institute for Medical Immunology, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Gosselies, Belgium.
- ULB Center for Research in Immunology (U-CRI), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Gosselies, Belgium.
- WELBIO Department, WEL Research Institute, Wavre, Belgium.
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2
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Matteini F, Montserrat-Vazquez S, Florian MC. Rejuvenating aged stem cells: therapeutic strategies to extend health and lifespan. FEBS Lett 2024. [PMID: 38604982 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
Aging is associated with a global decline in stem cell function. To date, several strategies have been proposed to rejuvenate aged stem cells: most of these result in functional improvement of the tissue where the stem cells reside, but the impact on the lifespan of the whole organism has been less clearly established. Here, we review some of the most recent work dealing with interventions that improve the regenerative capacity of aged somatic stem cells in mammals and that might have important translational possibilities. Overall, we underscore that somatic stem cell rejuvenation represents a strategy to improve tissue homeostasis upon aging and present some recent approaches with the potential to affect health span and lifespan of the whole organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Matteini
- Stem Cell Aging Group, Regenerative Medicine Program, The Bellvitge Institute for Biomedical Research (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain
- Program for Advancing the Clinical Translation of Regenerative Medicine of Catalonia (P-CMR[C]), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sara Montserrat-Vazquez
- Stem Cell Aging Group, Regenerative Medicine Program, The Bellvitge Institute for Biomedical Research (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain
- Program for Advancing the Clinical Translation of Regenerative Medicine of Catalonia (P-CMR[C]), Barcelona, Spain
| | - M Carolina Florian
- Stem Cell Aging Group, Regenerative Medicine Program, The Bellvitge Institute for Biomedical Research (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain
- Program for Advancing the Clinical Translation of Regenerative Medicine of Catalonia (P-CMR[C]), Barcelona, Spain
- Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Madrid, Spain
- The Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
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3
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Milovic A, Duong JV, Barbour AG. The infection-tolerant white-footed deermouse tempers interferon responses to endotoxin in comparison to the mouse and rat. eLife 2024; 12:RP90135. [PMID: 38193896 PMCID: PMC10945503 DOI: 10.7554/elife.90135] [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] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The white-footed deermouse Peromyscus leucopus, a long-lived rodent, is a key reservoir in North America for agents of several zoonoses, including Lyme disease, babesiosis, anaplasmosis, and a viral encephalitis. While persistently infected, this deermouse is without apparent disability or diminished fitness. For a model for inflammation elicited by various pathogens, the endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used to compare genome-wide transcription in blood by P. leucopus, Mus musculus, and Rattus norvegicus and adjusted for white cell concentrations. Deermice were distinguished from the mice and rats by LPS response profiles consistent with non-classical monocytes and alternatively-activated macrophages. LPS-treated P. leucopus, in contrast to mice and rats, also displayed little transcription of interferon-gamma and lower magnitude fold-changes in type 1 interferon-stimulated genes. These characteristics of P. leucopus were also noted in a Borrelia hermsii infection model. The phenomenon was associated with comparatively reduced transcription of endogenous retrovirus sequences and cytoplasmic pattern recognition receptors in the deermice. The results reveal a mechanism for infection tolerance in this species and perhaps other animal reservoirs for agents of human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Milovic
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, IrvineIrvineUnited States
| | - Jonathan V Duong
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, University of California, IrvineIrvineUnited States
| | - Alan G Barbour
- Departments of Medicine, Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, and Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California, IrvineIrvineUnited States
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4
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Montazid S, Bandyopadhyay S, Hart DW, Gao N, Johnson B, Thrumurthy SG, Penn DJ, Wernisch B, Bansal M, Altrock PM, Rost F, Gazinska P, Ziolkowski P, Hayee B, Liu Y, Han J, Tessitore A, Koth J, Bodmer WF, East JE, Bennett NC, Tomlinson I, Irshad S. Adult stem cell activity in naked mole rats for long-term tissue maintenance. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8484. [PMID: 38123565 PMCID: PMC10733326 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44138-6] [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: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The naked mole rat (NMR), Heterocephalus glaber, the longest-living rodent, provides a unique opportunity to explore how evolution has shaped adult stem cell (ASC) activity and tissue function with increasing lifespan. Using cumulative BrdU labelling and a quantitative imaging approach to track intestinal ASCs (Lgr5+) in their native in vivo state, we find an expanded pool of Lgr5+ cells in NMRs, and these cells specifically at the crypt base (Lgr5+CBC) exhibit slower division rates compared to those in short-lived mice but have a similar turnover as human LGR5+CBC cells. Instead of entering quiescence (G0), NMR Lgr5+CBC cells reduce their division rates by prolonging arrest in the G1 and/or G2 phases of the cell cycle. Moreover, we also observe a higher proportion of differentiated cells in NMRs that confer enhanced protection and function to the intestinal mucosa which is able to detect any chemical imbalance in the luminal environment efficiently, triggering a robust pro-apoptotic, anti-proliferative response within the stem/progenitor cell zone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shamir Montazid
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | | | - Daniel W Hart
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, Republic of South Africa
| | - Nan Gao
- Department of Biological Sciences, Rutgers University, Newark, 07102, NJ, USA
| | - Brian Johnson
- Division of Biomedical Informatics, Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, 92093, CA, USA
| | - Sri G Thrumurthy
- Endoscopy, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, SE5 9RS, UK
| | - Dustin J Penn
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, 1160, Austria
| | - Bettina Wernisch
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, 1160, Austria
| | | | - Philipp M Altrock
- Department for Theoretical Biology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, 24306, Ploen, Germany
| | - Fabian Rost
- DRESDEN-concept Genome Center, Center for Molecular and Cellular Bioengineering, Technische Universität Dresden, 01307, Dresden, Germany
| | - Patrycja Gazinska
- Biobank Research Group, Lukasiewicz Research Network, PORT Polish Center for Technology Development, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Piotr Ziolkowski
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Pathology, Wroclaw Medical University, 50-368, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Bu'Hussain Hayee
- Endoscopy, King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London, SE5 9RS, UK
| | - Yue Liu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Rutgers University, Newark, 07102, NJ, USA
| | - Jiangmeng Han
- Department of Biological Sciences, Rutgers University, Newark, 07102, NJ, USA
| | | | - Jana Koth
- Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Walter F Bodmer
- Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
- Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7DQ, UK
| | - James E East
- Translational Gastroenterology Unit, Experimental Medicine Division, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Nigel C Bennett
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, Republic of South Africa
| | - Ian Tomlinson
- Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7DQ, UK.
| | - Shazia Irshad
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK.
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5
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Milovic A, Duong JV, Barbour AG. The white-footed deermouse, an infection-tolerant reservoir for several zoonotic agents, tempers interferon responses to endotoxin in comparison to the mouse and rat. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.06.543964. [PMID: 37745581 PMCID: PMC10515768 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.06.543964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
The white-footed deermouse Peromyscus leucopus, a long-lived rodent, is a key reservoir for agents of several zoonoses, including Lyme disease. While persistently infected, this deermouse is without apparent disability or diminished fitness. For a model for inflammation elicited by various pathogens, the endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used to compare genome-wide transcription in blood by P. leucopus, Mus musculus and Rattus norvegicus and adjusted for white cell concentrations. Deermice were distinguished from the mice and rats by LPS response profiles consistent with non-classical monocytes and alternatively-activated macrophages. LPS-treated P. leucopus, in contrast to mice and rats, also displayed little transcription of interferon-gamma and lower magnitude fold-changes in type 1 interferon-stimulated genes. This was associated with comparatively reduced transcription of endogenous retrovirus sequences and cytoplasmic pattern recognition receptors in the deermice. The results reveal a mechanism for infection tolerance in this species and perhaps other animal reservoirs for agents of human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Milovic
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, University of California Irvine
| | - Jonathan V. Duong
- Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, University of California Irvine
| | - Alan G. Barbour
- Departments of Medicine, Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, and Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California Irvine
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6
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Parey E, Fernandez-Aroca D, Frost S, Uribarren A, Park TJ, Zöttl M, St John Smith E, Berthelot C, Villar D. Phylogenetic modeling of enhancer shifts in African mole-rats reveals regulatory changes associated with tissue-specific traits. Genome Res 2023; 33:1513-1526. [PMID: 37625847 PMCID: PMC10620049 DOI: 10.1101/gr.277715.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
Changes in gene regulation are thought to underlie most phenotypic differences between species. For subterranean rodents such as the naked mole-rat, proposed phenotypic adaptations include hypoxia tolerance, metabolic changes, and cancer resistance. However, it is largely unknown what regulatory changes may associate with these phenotypic traits, and whether these are unique to the naked mole-rat, the mole-rat clade, or are also present in other mammals. Here, we investigate regulatory evolution in the heart and liver from two African mole-rat species and two rodent outgroups using genome-wide epigenomic profiling. First, we adapted and applied a phylogenetic modeling approach to quantitatively compare epigenomic signals at orthologous regulatory elements and identified thousands of promoter and enhancer regions with differential epigenomic activity in mole-rats. These elements associate with known mole-rat adaptations in metabolic and functional pathways and suggest candidate genetic loci that may underlie mole-rat innovations. Second, we evaluated ancestral and species-specific regulatory changes in the study phylogeny and report several candidate pathways experiencing stepwise remodeling during the evolution of mole-rats, such as the insulin and hypoxia response pathways. Third, we report nonorthologous regulatory elements overlap with lineage-specific repetitive elements and appear to modify metabolic pathways by rewiring of HNF4 and RAR/RXR transcription factor binding sites in mole-rats. These comparative analyses reveal how mole-rat regulatory evolution informs previously reported phenotypic adaptations. Moreover, the phylogenetic modeling framework we propose here improves upon the state of the art by addressing known limitations of inter-species comparisons of epigenomic profiles and has broad implications in the field of comparative functional genomics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise Parey
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Diego Fernandez-Aroca
- Blizard Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 2AT, United Kingdom
| | - Stephanie Frost
- Blizard Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 2AT, United Kingdom
| | - Ainhoa Uribarren
- Cambridge Institute, Cancer Research UK and University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0RE, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas J Park
- Department of Biological Sciences and Laboratory of Integrative Neuroscience, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60607, USA
| | - Markus Zöttl
- Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Linnaeus University, 44054 Kalmar, Sweden
| | - Ewan St John Smith
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1PD, United Kingdom
| | - Camille Berthelot
- Institut de Biologie de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Ecole Normale Supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, 75005 Paris, France;
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, CNRS UMR 3525, INSERM UA12, Comparative Functional Genomics Group, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Diego Villar
- Blizard Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 2AT, United Kingdom;
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7
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Gorshkova EA, Gubernatorova EO, Dvorianinova EM, Yurakova TR, Marey MV, Averina OA, Holtze S, Hildebrandt TB, Dmitriev AA, Drutskaya MS, Vyssokikh MY, Nedospasov SA. Macrophages from naked mole-rat possess distinct immunometabolic signatures upon polarization. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1172467. [PMID: 37153552 PMCID: PMC10154529 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1172467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The naked mole-rat (NMR) is a unique long-lived rodent which is highly resistant to age-associated disorders and cancer. The immune system of NMR possesses a distinct cellular composition with the prevalence of myeloid cells. Thus, the detailed phenotypical and functional assessment of NMR myeloid cell compartment may uncover novel mechanisms of immunoregulation and healthy aging. In this study gene expression signatures, reactive nitrogen species and cytokine production, as well as metabolic activity of classically (M1) and alternatively (M2) activated NMR bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) were examined. Polarization of NMR macrophages under pro-inflammatory conditions led to expected M1 phenotype characterized by increased pro-inflammatory gene expression, cytokine production and aerobic glycolysis, but paralleled by reduced production of nitric oxide (NO). Under systemic LPS-induced inflammatory conditions NO production also was not detected in NMR blood monocytes. Altogether, our results indicate that NMR macrophages are capable of transcriptional and metabolic reprogramming under polarizing stimuli, however, NMR M1 possesses species-specific signatures as compared to murine M1, implicating distinct adaptations in NMR immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina A. Gorshkova
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Ekaterina O. Gubernatorova
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | | | - Taisiya R. Yurakova
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Maria V. Marey
- Federal State Budget Institution “National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology Named after Academician V.I. Kulakov”, Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
| | - Olga A. Averina
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Susanne Holtze
- Department of Reproduction Management, Leibnitz Institute for Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas B. Hildebrandt
- Department of Reproduction Management, Leibnitz Institute for Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Alexey A. Dmitriev
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Marina S. Drutskaya
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Mikhail Yu. Vyssokikh
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
- Federal State Budget Institution “National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology Named after Academician V.I. Kulakov”, Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
| | - Sergei A. Nedospasov
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- Division of Immunobiology and Biomedicine, Center of Genetics and Life Sciences, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Federal Territory Sirius, Krasnodar Krai, Russia
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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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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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10
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Andersson R, Florian MC. Living a longer life: unique lessons from the naked mole-rat blood system. EMBO J 2022; 41:e111759. [PMID: 35781819 PMCID: PMC9340484 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2022111759] [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: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Analysis of functional deterioration of the blood system during ageing has been largely confined to the mouse and human system. In this issue, Emmrich et al (2022) report the first comprehensive characterisation of the haematopoietic system of the naked mole‐rat (NMR), an exceptionally long‐lived rodent, highlighting its unique features and uncovering potential strategies to sustain haematopoiesis during an extended lifetime.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Andersson
- Stem Cell Aging Group, Regenerative Medicine Program, The Bellvitge Institute for Biomedical Research (IDIBELL), L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.,Program for advancing the Clinical Translation of Regenerative Medicine of Catalonia, P-CMR[C], L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria Carolina Florian
- Stem Cell Aging Group, Regenerative Medicine Program, The Bellvitge Institute for Biomedical Research (IDIBELL), L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.,Program for advancing the Clinical Translation of Regenerative Medicine of Catalonia, P-CMR[C], L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.,Center for Networked Biomedical Research on Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Madrid, Spain
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