With a lifespan of more than 200 years, bowhead whales are the Methuselahs of the animal kingdom, no other mammal lives longer. For a long time, researchers have puzzled over how these giants manage to stay healthy for more than two centuries. A study now published in the journal Nature provides a crucial answer: bowhead whales are true masters of DNA repair. Their frosty environment also plays a role.
Bowhead whales live exclusively in the cold waters of the Arctic. The animals are not only enormous in size and weight, but also reach an advanced age, both factors that should actually increase the risk of cancer. Yet bowhead whales rarely develop the disease.
A research team led by Jan Vijg from the Einstein College of Medicine in New York and Vera Gorbunova from the University of Rochester investigated this question. Their studies show: the key to the bowhead whale’s long life lies in its ability to repair damaged DNA with exceptional efficiency.
A crucial protein: CIRBP
The scientists discovered that bowhead whales possess particularly high concentrations of a protein called CIRBP. This protein acts like a repair booster for cells. It supports the correction of DNA damage and thus protects against mutations that can lead to diseases such as cancer.
In addition, a second factor fits perfectly with the lifestyle of these animals: cold temperatures increase the activity of CIRBP. The whales’ icy habitat therefore directly supports the mechanism that allows them to live such long lives.
What this could mean for humans
The results of this research go far beyond the biology of a single species. They raise an exciting question: could the bowhead whale’s mechanism one day benefit humans as well?
Early experiments provide intriguing hints. When the CIRBP gene is inserted into human cells, their DNA repair rate doubles. Experiments with fruit flies even showed that additional CIRBP extended their lifespan.
The next step followed quickly: scientists equipped mice with the CIRBP gene, once with the human version, once with that of the bowhead whale. The first results are cautiously optimistic.
Vera Gorbunova sums up the findings with a smile: “They didn’t drop dead, so at least we know it’s not immediately harmful.”
For the researcher, one thing is clear: “This research shows that a longer life than the average human lifespan is possible.”
A look into the future
The study opens the door to new approaches in aging research. Although there is still a long way to go before the bowhead whale’s mechanisms can be used therapeutically in humans, the findings provide a fascinating insight into the biology of one of the most extraordinary creatures on our planet and possibly into the future of human medicine.
Rosamaria, Kubny, PolarJournal