Not the cells, but the unique immune system probably makes the naked mole rat virtually immune to cancer.

Naked mole rats are curious critters. For example, they can grow very old and appear to be virtually immune to cancer. Scientists are particularly interested in the latter, and numerous studies have already been reviewed. Although researchers thought that they understood this special property of the naked mole rat better and better a new investigation the story of the cancer-resistant naked mole rat a surprising twist.

About the naked mole rat
Naked mole rats (Heterocephalus glaber) are burrowing rodents native to East Africa. The naked mole rat is immensely popular among scientists. And that is not surprising. The rather unattractive animal has many impressive features. Thus they can reach a respectable age of 37 years and it is the only cold-blooded mammal in the world. Although that is already quite strange, it does not end here. This way the animal can certainly aeighteen minutes without oxygen, has it need a lot of CO2 to function and he shines insensitive to some types of pain. Researchers hope that the studies provide tools to help people live healthy lives longer.-

Until now, naked mole rats were almost never diagnosed with cancer because their healthy cells would not be able to transform into cancer cells. However, this appears to have a loose end. In the new study, the researchers analyzed 79 different cell lines (a collection of equal cells) grown from five different tissues (gut, kidney, pancreas, lung, and skin) from 11 different naked mole rats. The researchers then infected these cells with genes known to cause cancer in the cells of other rodents, such as mice and rats. Remarkably, the healthy cells of the naked mole rats started to turn into cancer cells. “To our surprise, the infected cells started to multiply,” says study leader Fazal Hadi. “Because of this accelerated growth, we knew they had turned into cancer cells.”

Immune system
The experiment shows that the naked mole rat’s immunity to cancer does not depend on his cells. But what underlies the cancer-free existence of the naked mole rat? According to the researchers, the naked mole rat is distinguished by its microenvironment: the complex system of cells and molecules surrounding a cell, including the immune system. Interactions with this microenvironment would prevent tumors from developing. The researchers arrive at this finding after injecting the cancer-altered cells into mice. The mice formed tumors within a few weeks. This suggests that unique conditions in the body of the naked mole rat prevent the further development of cancer.

Cancer free
In summary, it means that – contrary to what was previously claimed – the cells of naked mole rats can turn into cancer cells. But thanks to certain mechanisms in the body of the animal, the multiplication of these cancer cells is stopped. “The results are surprising and have completely changed our understanding of the cancer resistance of naked mole rats,” said researcher Walid Khaled. “If we can understand what is so special about the immune system of these animals and how it protects them from cancer, we could potentially develop interventions to prevent the disease in humans.” And the latter is the main goal. By understanding what exactly makes the naked mole rat immune to cancer, we can also improve our understanding of the early stages of the disease in humans. This can then lead to better treatment plans, or even to new ways in which we can prevent the disease.

Follow-up research is already in the offing. Because the researchers would like to clarify which mechanisms prevent cancer cells of the naked mole rat from developing into tumors. The team especially wants to focus on the unique immune system of the animal. For example, our immune system also plays a critical role in protecting against cancer, as it kills and clears out cancer cells. And that’s why this is a very interesting way to go.