An analysis of the genome of the adorable four-legged friend results in the discovery of gene variants that can be associated with an almost two-year longer lifespan.
That may not sound very impressive from a human perspective. But a golden retriever may think differently, says researcher Danika Bannasch. “Almost two years is a significant difference in a dog’s life. Wouldn’t we all want our beloved pets to live two years longer? Two years is a 15 to 20 percent longer lifespan for a golden retriever, comparable to 12 to 14 years for us humans.”
The background of the research
Golden retrievers can be counted among the most popular dog breeds. But the breed has a dark side; it is very susceptible to cancer. For example, a golden retriever has a 65 percent chance of dying from cancer. At the same time, however, there are also golden retrievers that manage to escape this dance and live to be 16 years old, or very old. It fascinated Bannasch and colleagues so much that they decided to delve deeper into it. “We assume that the vast majority of golden retrievers have a genetic predisposition to cancer,” explains researcher Robert Rebhun. “But some live to be 14, 15 or 16 years old, so we thought there may be a genetic factor that slows down the bad genes (which increase the risk of cancer, ed.).” And in the hunt for that genetic factor, the scientists searched the genome of golden retrievers for gene variants that could be associated with longevity.
The research
To this end, the researchers examined the genetic material of more than 300 golden retrievers. They compared the DNA of golden retrievers that had celebrated their fourteenth birthday with golden retrievers that had died before their twelfth birthday. They soon discovered that dogs with certain variants of the HER4 gene tended to live longer. And not just a little bit either. On average, these dogs lived to be 13.5 years, or almost two years older than dogs without those gene variants.
HER4
It is interesting that variants of the HER4 gene emerged from this research. Because the gene also plays a role in cancer, Rebhun explains. “I think that was the biggest surprise: we devised a study to find genes that could be associated with longevity, and the gene variant we discovered could be associated not only with longevity, but also with cancer.”
Cancer
The HER4 gene codes for a protein receptor that is located on the membrane of normal cells, but also of some cancer cells. And that receptor is receptive to signals that encourage the cell to grow and divide. And so the gene – via the receptors it codes for – can also contribute to the growth and multiplication of cancer cells.
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The discovery However, it is interesting that certain variants of this gene can also be associated with a longer life. It hints that these gene variants contribute to such a long lifespan by reducing the chance that a golden retriever will develop cancer. However, more research is needed to confirm this, Rebhun emphasizes. “We are now looking at whether the gene variants result in stronger or weaker expression of the HER4 protein. Or that the gene variants might change how the HER4 protein functions.”
Future music
Ultimately, the researchers hope that it will lead to a longer life for all golden retrievers. “The hope is that we can eventually select for dogs with a longer lifespan,” Rebhun confirms. “But we need more information before we can say whether that is justified or even feasible.” It is important to keep in mind that lifespan and cancer risk cannot be traced back to one gene. “There are a lot of genes involved,” Bannasch emphasizes. “But the fact that the gene that can be associated with longevity is also a gene that plays a role in cancer is very interesting.”
And not just for golden retrievers. But possibly also for people. The researchers point out that the HER4 gene is part of a larger family of genes, which also includes the HER2 gene. And we know that this gene can cause cancer cells to grow faster in humans. In addition, dogs get many types of cancer that also occur in humans. And therefore, any discovery about their risk of cancer can also have implications for people. “If we discover that this variant in HER4 is either important for the formation and progression of cancer cells in golden retrievers or changes the risk of cancer in this population of dogs with a predisposition to cancer, then that could be something we also investigate in future cancer research in humans. can utilize.”
2023-11-03 12:10:47
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