The naked mole-rat (NMR), known for its extreme longevity, has emerged as a promising new model for studying aging. Understanding the mechanisms behind NMR’s resistance to hypoxia and cardiovascular injury is important for cardiovascular research. A study in Nature Communications identifies the unique NMR’s genetic and metabolic adaptations to their underground low-oxygen environment. Comparing cardiac gene expression in NMR and C57/BL6 mice showed highly expressed genes that are unique to NMR. Metabolomic profiling of cardiac tissue showed increased energy reserves in NMRs, such as cardiac glycogen and creatine, compared to other mole rats and the mouse model. Additionally, NMR showed an increase in the expression of HIF-1α, a protein related to oxygen homeostasis in cells, when compared to mouse models under normal oxygen conditions. Finally, when exposing NMR and mouse-isolated hearts to ischemia and reperfusion, NMR hearts showed resistance to ischemia and reperfusion injury with smaller infarct sizes. Overall, understanding the extreme adaptations, especially the energetic ones, of this underground rodent opens an avenue for future cardiovascular treatments.

Original reference: Faulkes, C.G. et al. Nat. Commun. 15, 2204 (2024)

裸鼹鼠（NMR）以其极长的寿命而闻名，已成为研究衰老的有前途的新模型。了解 NMR 抵抗缺氧和心血管损伤的机制对于心血管研究非常重要。《自然通讯》的一项研究确定了核磁共振对其地下低氧环境的独特遗传和代谢适应。比较 NMR 和 C57/BL6 小鼠的心脏基因表达，结果显示 NMR 特有的高表达基因。与其他鼹鼠和小鼠模型相比，心脏组织的代谢组学分析显示，核磁共振中的能量储备有所增加，例如心肌糖原和肌酸。此外，核磁共振显示，与正常氧气条件下的小鼠模型相比，HIF-1α（一种与细胞内氧稳态相关的蛋白质）的表达有所增加。最后，当将 NMR 和小鼠离体心脏暴露于缺血和再灌注时，NMR 心脏表现出对缺血和再灌注损伤的抵抗力，梗塞面积较小。总的来说，了解这种地下啮齿动物的极端适应，尤其是精力充沛的适应，为未来的心血管治疗开辟了一条道路。

原始参考文献： Faulkes, CG et al.纳特。交流。 2204 年15 月(2024)