Key points from article :
Ukrainian-Israeli collaboration has taken the first step toward emulating naked mole-rat (NMR).
Mice placed in conditions of low oxygen, high carbon dioxide, like NMR tunnels.
Significantly lower the rodents’ body temperature, slow their metabolism for as long as months.
First time science achieved almost permanently slower metabolic rate in any warm-blooded animal.
Based on observation, metabolically slow NMRs live 8 times longer than similar rodents.
The mice also observed to voluntarily ate less and skin wounds healed faster.
No significant changes in expression of stress-related genes.
“Small differences in temperature can lead to major changes in life span.”
Chronic exposure to hypoxic-hypercapnic environment is a potential intervention to extend lifespan.
As well as a tool for treating human obesity and associated metabolic disorders, team concludes.
Researchers from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and Institute of Gerontology, Ukraine.
Published in the journal of Biogerontology.
