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Naked mole-rats' genome unveils secrets of their heart health

Unique metabolism shields hearts in low-oxygen conditions, offering clues to human heart protection

27-Mar-2024

Key points from article :

Scientists compared heart tissue from naked mole-rats to other mole-rat species and other mammals.

Naked mole-rats found to have a unique way of generating energy from sugars, allowing them to survive in low-oxygen environments.

This distinct cardiometabolic profile protects their hearts from damage caused by cardiovascular events.

Naked mole-rats' unique environment likely caused the evolution of special adaptations in their hearts.

These adaptations allow naked mole-rats to tolerate reduced oxygen and negligible damage to their heart tissue.

"We are now able to understand the metabolic and genetic mechanisms underpinning this unique level of protection.” - Dunja Aksentijevic, lead study author.

Study by Queen Mary University of London, published in Nature Communications.

Mentioned in this article:

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Dunja Aksentijevic

Reader (Associate Professor) at The William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London

Nature Communications

Journal covering all topics in physics, chemistry, and biology

Queen Mary University of London

Public research university in London, England

Topics mentioned on this page:
Immortal Animals, Heart Disease
Naked mole-rats' genome unveils secrets of their heart health