Researchers at the University of Rochester report in Nature that a protein found in long-lived bowhead whales may one day help extend human lifespan. The study, based on animals from Arctic waters, identifies a molecule called CIRBP that appears to protect cells from DNA damage and reduce harmful mutations-mechanisms the authors say could slow aging and dramatically increase longevity, possibly even toward the scale of centuries.
Bowhead whales are extraordinary for their natural longevity, living 200–268 years or more. Scientists first drew wide attention in 2007 when they identified an individual roughly 200 years old through analysis of its eye fluid. That long lifespan prompted researchers to investigate genetic and molecular features that let these whales avoid the cancers and degenerative diseases common in other large, long-lived animals.
In laboratory experiments led by Vera Gorbunova and Andrei Seluanov, the team found that CIRBP-a cold‑responsive RNA‑binding protein-helps repair DNA damage quickly and prevents mutations that can lead to disease. Because bowheads have vastly more cells than humans, efficient DNA repair helps explain why they rarely develop cancers despite their size and age.
Aging in humans is linked in part to telomere shortening-the progressive loss at the ends of chromosomes that limits cell division. After about age 30, the function of many organs declines incrementally; scientists often cite telomere erosion as a contributing factor. The Rochester researchers suggest that proteins like CIRBP could slow telomere loss or otherwise stabilize cell renewal, thereby delaying age-related decline.
Preliminary tests described in the paper applied these proteins to certain insects and to human cells in culture. The treated insects showed increased lifespan compared with controls, the authors report. However, the team warns that CIRBP is active under the colder conditions of marine environments, and it is not yet clear how effective or safe such proteins would be in the warmer, terrestrial conditions of the human body.
The findings point to a promising avenue for aging research but remain early-stage. Much more work-animal studies at body temperature, safety testing, and eventual clinical trials-will be required before any human treatments are possible. For now, the research offers a glimpse into how nature’s longest-lived mammals might reveal tools to slow human aging.
Original Source: https://assam.nenow.in/bowhead-whale-longevity-study/
Category: Popular Stories,জীৱনশৈলী,শীর্ষ সংবাদ,স্বাস্থ্য
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Publish Date: 2026-03-17 06:54:00
