The Secret to How the Naked Mole-Rat Stays Cancer Free

Mice and rats have long been the standard animal for cancer research, possibly due to their short lifespan and high incidence of cancer. However, a recent study discuses the mystery of mole rats among mammals. Why do these creatures have such a high resistance to cancer? Though many have been uncertain, researchers believe this may make the mammal an excellent sample in finding research for new cancer treatments.

According to researchers at the University of Rochester, N.Y., and the University of Haifa, they found that the naked mole rat has an incredibly diverse mechanism which allows it to stay cancer free. It's based on a super sugar called high-molecular-mas Hyaluronan (HMM-HA) that HMM-HA actually prevents cells from overcrowding and forming tumors.

"Contact inhibition, a powerful anticancer mechanism, discovered by the Rochester team, arresting cell growth when cells come into contact with each other, is lost in cancer cells", explains Prof. Eviatar Nevo, from the Institute of Evolution at the University of Haifa, via a press release. "The experiments showed that when HMM-HA was removed from naked mole rat cells, they became susceptible to tumors and lost their contact inhibition."

According to background information from the study, HMM-HA is a form of Hyaluronan, also known as a long sugar polymer that's naturally present as a lubricant in the extracellular matrix of the human body. It is commonly used in the treatment of arthritis or in anti-wrinkle skin care products.

Researchers note that the naked mole rat secretes these cells that are over five times larger than human or mouse HA. Furthermore, the molecule-mass HA accumulates abundantly in the creature's body more than in the tissue of a rat or mouse, creating a robust synthesis by a protein called HAS2 and decreased activity of the HA-degrading enzyme.

Researchers strangely found that when comparing the naked mole rat to other animals, that two unique amino acids (asparagines) that are typically 100 percent conserved among mammals, were replaced by two other amino acids in the naked mole rat, known as serines, which helps explain both their adaptation to life underground and protection against cancer.

The study concludes with the following, via the release: "The researchers speculate that naked mole rats evolved higher concentrations of HA in the skin to provide the skin elasticity needed for life in underground tunnels. So far, experiments in human cells have been very limited. However, there has been some evidence showing there is reason for hope. In one of their experiments, the researchers noticed that when naked mole rat HAS2 synthesis protein was overexpressed in human cell tissues, the cells began secreting HMM-HA. This opens new avenues for cancer prevention and life extension in human medicine."

More information regarding the study can be found here.