Is the Gut Microbiome Relevant to Naked Mole-Rat Longevity?

Naked mole-rats live something like nine times longer than similarly-sized rodent species, and appear near immune to cancer. As such they are one of the most studied species among researchers who investigate the comparative biology of aging. Finding the underlying reasons for such large differences may inform human medicine, particularly when it comes to cancer, though in the matter of aging in general there is every chance that this sort of research will be overtaken in relevance in the near term by efforts such as clearance of senescent cells that directly address the root causes of aging. In recent years, it has become clear that gut bacteria have a fair degree of influence over natural variations in longevity in any given mammalian species. It is thus reasonable to ask whether they play a role in naked mole-rat longevity, though it is hard to imagine that this could be a significant contribution in comparison to the cellular differences, which include resilient mitochondrial membrane composition, efficient ribosomes, and overpowered anti-cancer mechanisms. The composition and functionality of complex and rich community of microbes living on the surfaces and cavities of the mammal's body, i.e. microbiota, is well known to be crucial for the health maintenance of the host. An extremely rich and diverse microbial ecosystem inhabits the gastrointestinal tract collectively named as gut microbiota. Studies on humans have demonstrated that the gut microbiota strongly im...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs