Scientists have discovered the chemical that keeps the naked mole rat cancer-free.
The bald rodents have a 30-year lifespan and have never been known to get cancer, a research group at The University of Rochester thinks this is thanks to high molecular weight hyaluronan (HMW-HA) found in the animal's tissue.
After taking cultures of the animal's tissue, the researchers notice a "gooey substance" clogging up the tubing that was unique to the naked mole rat.
"We needed to understand what the goo was," said Andrei Seluanov, who led the study with Vera Gorbunova.
The researchers identified the substance as HMW-HA, which led them to believe it could have something to do with the rodent's cancer-resistance.
When Seluanov and Gorbunova removed HMW-HA from the sample, they found the cells became more susceptible to tumor growth.
The team also identified the gene, known as HAS2, that produces the cancer fighting substance. The naked mole rat proved to recycle HMW-HA very slowly, which led to a buildup in their tissue.
"A lot of cancer research focuses on animals that are prone to cancer," said Gorbunova. "We think it's possible to learn strategies for preventing tumors by studying animals that are cancer-proof."
The team hopes to test HMW-HA in the cell's of mice to see if it could effectively fight cancer. If all goes well they will test the substance in human cells as well, in hopes of finding a groundbreaking cure for the disease.
There's indirect evidence that HMW-HA would work in people," said Seluanov. "It's used in anti-wrinkle injections and to relieve pain from arthritis in knee joints, without any adverse effects. Our hope is that it can also induce an anti-cancer response."
Hyaluronan (HA), is found in the naked mole rat's wrinkly tissue, and has the ability to make skin supple and able to heal quickly.
