Khaberni - Scientists have solved an important mystery related to human DNA (DNA), which may enable them to make modifications that could allow humans to live for hundreds of years, meaning a huge leap in this field.
According to a report published by the British newspaper "Daily Express" and reviewed by "Alarabiya.net", a new study has led to an amazing scientific discovery that may hold the key to extending human life.
The scientists in this new study have solved the DNA mystery of the longest-living mammal, the bowhead whale, which can live more than 200 years, as it turns out that the credit for this goes to the protein (CIRBP) found in the ocean, which helps this species of whale rebuild damaged DNA.
This protein, known as "cold-inducible RNA binding protein" or (CIRBP), allows this creature, which weighs 80 tons, to prevent cancer.
After identifying this powerful protein, scientists from the University of Rochester in New York added it to human cells, and discovered that they repair themselves more accurately, even when they added it to fruit flies, it led to an extension of their lifespans.
Professor Vera Gorbunova, who led the study, said: "This research shows that it is possible to live longer than the current average human lifespan."
Working with scientists in Alaska, the Rochester team also discovered that lower temperatures enhance the protein (CIRBP).
While it is premature to determine how this discovery can be applied to humans, Gorbunova suggested that it would be useful to explore how to enhance the activity of the protein (CIRBP) in the human body. Theoretically, lifestyle changes, such as taking cold showers or exposure to cold temperatures, could be beneficial.
Gorbunova said: "There are different ways to improve genome preservation, and here we discover a unique method that has evolved in bowhead whales, where the levels of this protein increase significantly. We now need to see if we can develop strategies to increase regulation of the same pathway in humans."
However, the scientists emphasize that these ideas are currently just hypothetical ideas.
When cells divide, they replicate their DNA for the new cells, but errors in the sequence can cause mutations that may lead to tumors.
The question of why large mammals do not get cancer at the same rate, despite having many dividing cells, is a biological puzzle known as "Peto's Paradox," but scientists have now concluded that whales suffered fewer cancer-causing mutations due to protein (CIRBP).
This protein can assist in repairing DNA breaks, the most dangerous forms of genetic damage, as bowhead whales can repair their cells better than humans, allowing their DNA to stay intact for longer periods.
The team will now test whether the protein is able to perform its function in smaller and shorter-lived mammals as is the case in the twenty-meter whale.
