Most people are not simply hoping to live longer. What they really want is to enjoy more healthy years without the diseases that often come with old age. That is why researchers around the world continue to study animals that appear to age far more slowly than expected.
One of the most fascinating examples is the naked mole-rat. Researchers from the University of Rochester, writing in the scientific journal Nature, have explored whether one of the animal's unique biological traits can be transferred to another species, reports exame.
Their findings suggest that nature may already hold important clues for future medical treatments.
Nature's blueprint
The naked mole-rat can live for decades despite its small size and develops cancer far less frequently than most mammals. For years, scientists have tried to understand what makes the species so unusually resilient.
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In the study, researchers genetically modified mice to produce large amounts of a special form of hyaluronic acid that naturally occurs in naked mole-rats.
The modified mice lived slightly longer than normal mice and showed lower levels of chronic inflammation. They also developed fewer spontaneous tumors and demonstrated greater resistance to several age-related diseases.
Still a long road ahead
The findings should not be seen as a cure for aging. Instead, they provide another promising lead in the search for treatments that could help people remain healthier later in life rather than simply extending lifespan.
The research team is now investigating whether the same biological mechanism could one day be activated without genetic modification.
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If successful, future therapies could focus on increasing the number of healthy years people enjoy, while reducing the risk of diseases commonly associated with aging.
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