In medical science, anti-aging has always been a difficult phenomenon to crack. While humans have always sought longevity to cross the century mark, an unlikely mentor has been hiding in the icy waters of the Arctic: the Greenland whale, a creature that can live for more than 200 years.
A groundbreaking study published in Nature by researchers at the University of Rochester has finally identified the superpower behind this extreme lifespan.
The secret of the whale’s longevity lies in its biology which is dominated by a specific protein called CIRBP (Cold-Inducible RNA-binding Protein). The protein is useful in repairing serious genetic damage known as double-stranded DNA breaks, which are responsible for causing cancer, aging and other fatal diseases in humans.
According to Vera Gorbunova, co-director of the Rochester Aging Research Center, the bowhead whale contains 100 times more CIRBP than other mammals.
For years, scientists have struggled to solve Peto’s Paradox, a baffling puzzle that shows that despite being at greater risk of developing cancer due to more cells, the larger animals live longer.
The presence of this specific protein may help unravel this long-held mystery.
Can people benefit from this discovery?
Gorbunova said: “There are several ways to improve genome maintenance, and here we learn that there is a unique way that has evolved in bowhead whales, where they dramatically increase the levels of this protein. Now we need to see if we can develop strategies to improve the same pathway in humans.”
“This research shows that it is possible to live longer than the average human lifespan,” he added.
The researchers also introduced the whale version of the CRIBP protein into human cells and fruit flies to investigate the efficacy of this protein. But this research is still in its early stages, but some results showed improved DNA repair.
They also discover the surprising link between cold temperatures and increased levels of CRIBP protein. The researchers are now working on different approaches, such as cold showers or exposure to cold temperatures, to induce production of the protein in humans.
