Killing zombie cells: a naked mole rats secret in preventing cancer.

Reaching that point in life where our cells no longer divide (senescence) can lead to possible zombie cells, which in turn can have commonly known illnesses like cancer or Alzheimer’s disease and even getting wrinkles. By encouraging the production of proteins and metabolizing serotonin in their own unique way, naked mole rats (NMR) have been able to evade cancer, metabolic disorders and aging all together allowing them to live for up to 37 years. 

Within our bodies we have these cells called fibroblasts which are essential for various important needs our body has, such as: providing the necessary structure and function, allowing our body to heal and fix itself, helping the formation of blood cells, and being a precursor to other cells our body needs. When these cells die or stop dividing and go through senescence, they start to build up in our body. This results in the reduced production of the cellular matrix which gives our organs the firmness and elasticity needed, organs like our skin.

Researchers from Kumamoto University in Japan noticed something interesting when studying the differences in longevity of mice and NMR. Not only did the mice live for a mere ten percent of the NMRs life span, but they were also more susceptible to cancer and age-related diseases. They knew that the deletion of these senescent cells reduced the lack of health in mice, but something was different in the NMR, they worked on figuring out how the NMR did this. 

The conducted a series of experiments both within the mice and NMR, they observed that the mole rats undergo a process where they kill the senescent cells. Injecting the mice and NMR with chemicals that caused senescence by means of stopping the cell cycle, both the mice and the naked mole rats showed the same pathways. The NMR however displayed a decrease in the number of senescent cells. This was later observed happening by them metabolizing serotonin and releasing acetic acid in their fibroblast cells, which in turn caused a release of hydrogen peroxide. The excess peroxide would then cause the fibroblast to undergo cell death. To prove their hypothesis, they injected another set of mice with a chemical to block the metabolization of serotonin. Their final findings were that not all senescent cells undergo this process, in one of their studies they found that this process happens mostly within their lungs did not think their whole body. 

This study is a huge breakthrough in the battle against aging and their diseases that come with it such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, and the shutdown of some organs. However, more research must be done to study what type of senescent cells are targeted. Research such as this one is one-way scientists are working together to find cures for both cancer and other aging diseases. 

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