Aging is a universal phenomenon that every living creature experiences. However, some species have unique mechanisms to slow down the aging process and increase their lifespan. Researchers have been studying these animals to gain insights into the mechanisms of aging and how to prevent age-related diseases in humans. In this article, we will explore the anti-aging properties of some of the most fascinating animals on the planet.
Bowhead Whale
The bowhead whale is a species of whale that can live up to 200 years or more. This remarkable lifespan has piqued the interest of scientists who are studying the whale's unique anti-aging properties. One particularly interesting feature with very large animals like the bowhead whale is their ability to evade cancer. In humans, we can see that cancer rates increase based on size. All things being equal, there is a correlation between height and cancer rate. This makes sense considering cancer is a genetic disease. Humans with more cells have a higher likelihood of developing mutations that lead to cancer. However, this relationship between number of cells and cancer breaks down when looking between species. This is known as Peto’s Paradox. Peto's Paradox states that larger animals logically should be expected to have a higher risk of developing cancer due to the increased number of cells and higher probability for mutations, yet somehow they don't. The bowhead whale is one of the largest animals on the planet, yet it has a remarkably low rate of cancer. Researchers have discovered that the bowhead whale has several mechanisms that contribute to its longevity, including a lower metabolic rate, better DNA repair, and a unique ability to resist cancer.
Naked Mole Rat
The naked mole rat is a true beauty that has captured the minds, and hearts, of longevity researchers worldwide. This animal has an exceptionally long lifespan for its size, with some individuals being documented to live more than 30 years. Researchers have discovered that the naked mole rat has several unique adaptations that contribute to its longevity, including a high degree of ribosomal accuracy, which reduces translational errors when making proteins.
The naked mole rat shows so few signs of aging (and not just because they have wrinkles their whole life) that it has been dubbed as having negligible senescence. Negligible senescence means that there isn’t a significant reduction in its odds of survival with each passing year. One useful metric associated with survival is mortality rate doubling time (MRDT). MRDT refers to the amount of time it takes for an organism's risk of dying to double. In humans, our odds of dying double roughly every 8 years. In the naked mole rat, MRDT is estimated to be 115 years!
Cockatoo
Maximum lifespan across species is seen to increase with body weight. A mouse develops rapidly and may only live a few years, while an elephant develops slowly and can live around 70 years. This general trend can be seen to apply across different groups in the animal kingdom. In this context, humans are incredibly long-lived in comparison to similarly weighted primates and mammals. However, we can see that body weight doesn't explain all of the variation in lifespan. The cockatoo and the crow are two species that are very similar in body composition and size, but have vastly different lifespans, with some cockatoos living up to 80 years or more, while most crows live for a decade or so. One possible explanation for this is that lifespan may be correlated with brain size, with a larger brain having superior homeostatic mechanisms to better regulate metabolic errors.
Elephant
The elephant is the largest land mammal on the planet. Much like the bowhead whale, the elephant is exceptionally resistant to cancer. One of the reasons that researchers have found to explain this is elephants have numerous copies of a gene for p53. p53 is an incredibly important protein that is commonly referred to as, “the guardian of the genome”. This protein acts as a tumor suppressor. In humans, we have one single gene which encodes this protein. Mutations to this gene are found in 50-60% of human cancers. The elephant, however, doesn’t have this problem, as it contains a whopping 20 copies of this gene. These multiple copies ensure that if there is a mutation in one copy, the protein can still be made by a different copy of the gene. Talk about the benefits of redundancy.
Axolotl
The axolotl possesses more than just a peculiar sequence of letters in its name; it also boasts the remarkable capability of regenerating body parts, such as limbs and organs. This unique ability has caught the attention of researchers studying aging and longevity. According to various studies conducted on the axolotl, the regeneration of a limb can occur when signaling molecules lead cells to dedifferentiate into progenitor cells, which can then divide and rebuild tissue. In some ways, this process has similarities with the idea of cellular reprogramming, where differentiated cells are turned into stem cells, which can then be used to grow specific cell types. While it is unlikely that humans will be re-growing limbs any time soon, there is a lot we can learn from these little guys.
Conclusion
The animal kingdom provides a wealth of information on the mechanisms of aging and how to prevent age-related diseases in humans. Studying animals with remarkable anti-aging properties, such as the bowhead whale, naked mole rat, cockatoo, elephant, and axolotl can help researchers develop new therapies and interventions to slow down the aging process and prevent age-related diseases. Ultimately, the goal is to improve the quality of life for people as they age and extend the human lifespan. With continued investigation, we may one day unlock the secrets of the aging process and develop new interventions to promote healthy aging in humans.
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