Control of Inflammation May Contribute to the Longevity of Bats

Bat species tend to be very long lived in comparison to other mammalian species of a similar size. The usual explanation for this involves evolutionary adaptation to the metabolic demands of flight. Bats and birds exhibit similar biochemical and metabolic features, despite their evolutionary distance from one another. Bats may have evolved mitochondria, the power plants of the cell, that are more efficient and more resilient to oxidative damage than their closest mammalian relatives that do not fly, and it is generally acknowledged that mitochondrial function and metabolic rate are important determinants of species longevity. Here, however, researchers argue for greater control over inflammatory responses to be a noteworthy contributing factor in the longevity of bats versus other small mammals. Chronic inflammation is certainly a major issue in human aging; the immune system becomes progressively ever more overactive and incapable. Inflammation is useful and necessary in short bursts, whether defending against pathogens or assisting in regeneration from injury, but those same mechanisms cause considerable harm when turned on all the time. Bats live very long and host numerous viruses that are extremely harmful when they infect humans and other animals. Researchers wanted to find out how bats can harbour so many of these pathogens without suffering from diseases. The key, they found, is in the bat's ability to limit inflammation. Bats do not react to infection...
Source: Fight Aging! - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Daily News Source Type: blogs