Elephants resist cancer by waking a zombie gene

(Cell Press) Elephants have evolved a way to make LIF6 (a non-functioning, or dead, gene in mammals) come back to life, and it's what makes the largest living land mammals nearly immune to cancer. In response to DNA damage, such as that caused by ultraviolet rays, the elephant version of the tumor-suppressing protein p53 prompts 'zombie' LIF6 to efficiently kill cells poised to become cancerous. The research publishes Aug. 14 in the journal Cell Reports.
Source: EurekAlert! - Cancer - Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: news