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Cancer research

Long-Lived Bats Reveal Secrets to Cancer Resistance

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

A team of researchers from the University of Rochester has discovered the biological defenses that enable long-lived bats to resist cancer. The study, published in Nature Communications, has found that four common species of bats can live up to 35 years without developing cancer, equivalent to about 180 human years. Vera Gorbunova, PhD, and Andrei Seluanov, PhD, led the research and identified the key factors that protect bats from cancer, including the p53 gene and the telomerase enzyme.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study found that bats do not have a natural barrier to cancer, but they possess robust tumor-suppressor mechanisms that allow them to survive.
  • Bats can transform into cancer with only two "hits", but their cells are protected by mechanisms such as the p53 gene and the telomerase enzyme.
  • The p53 gene is a good defense against cancer, and targeting it with anti-cancer drugs has shown promise.
  • Increasing the telomerase enzyme might be a way to apply the findings to humans with cancer, but this was not part of the current study.
  • The National Institute on Aging supported the research.
  • The study's findings have implications for understanding cancer development and providing new leads for cancer treatment.
  • The researchers have built a strong track record of studying long-lived mammals and humans, including naked mole rats, bowhead whales, and exceptional longevity cohorts.

Statistics:

  • 35 years: the maximum lifespan of the four common species of bats studied.
  • 180 human years: the equivalent lifespan of the four common species of bats.
  • 2 "hits": the number of cell mutations required for cancer to develop in bats.
  • 10-20%: the estimated increase in telomerase enzyme activity that might be sufficient to protect humans from cancer.
  • $1 million: the funding provided by the National Institute on Aging for the research.

Sources:

  • University of Rochester Department of Biology and Wilmot Cancer Institute
  • Nature Communications journal
  • National Institute on Aging

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