ArticleNature2013
High-molecular-mass hyaluronan mediates the cancer resistance of the naked mole rat.
Article in Nature, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 407 papers.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
407 citing papers in PubMed, 798 citations in OpenAlex.
- Epigenetic insights into extreme longevity in the world's oldest terrestrial animal, Jonathan.Science advances · 2026Article
- Hyaluronan deficiency disrupts endothelial glycocalyx integrity and contributes to age-related arterial dysfunction.GeroScience · 2026Article
- Characterization of carcinogenesis resistance in Anatolian blind mole-rat mesenchymal stem cells and assessment of transcriptomic signatures.Stem cells (Dayton, Ohio) · 2026Article
- Intrinsic anti-tumorigenic properties of the skin epithelium promote cancer resistance in naked mole-rats.iScience · 2026Article
- Extracellular Matrix Remodeling in Tumors: Forces Beyond Fibroblasts.Cancer research · 2026Article
- Adaptive Evolution of FOXO Family Regulating Lifespan Extension and Cancer Resistance in Long-Lived Species.Integrative zoology · 2026Article
- Evolutionary genetics of ageing.Nature reviews. Genetics · 2026Review
- Macrophage regulation of extracellular matrix remodeling in aging skeletal muscle.Ageing research reviews · 2026Review
- Sulfotransferase signaling sustains fibroblast identity and antagonizes therapeutic cardiac reprogramming.Nature communications · 2026Article
- Convergence and Reducibility as Transferability Filters in Biomimetic Design.Journal of functional biomaterials · 2026Review
- Longevity through immunity: the unusual naked mole-rat immune system.GeroScience · 2026Review
- Replacement-Based Ageing Interventions for Systemic Rejuvenation: Shaping Longevity Science and Clinical Directions.Aging cell · 2026Article
- Spectroscopic Analysis of the Extracellular Matrix Hierarchical Structure in Naked Mole-Rat Skin.Gels (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Beyond Mice and Men: Alternative Vertebrate and Invertebrate Models in Cancer Biology.Annual review of cancer biology · 2026Article
- Conserved Pathways, Divergent Outcomes: A Cross-Species Genomic Perspective on the Cancer-Neurodegeneration Paradox.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Review
- Genome assembly and annotation of the naked mole rat Heterocephalus glaber reared in Japan.Scientific data · 2026Article
- The Signal in the Extreme: A Systematic Outlier Framework Identifies Discrete Immunometabolic Subtypes in Human and Cellular Models.Medical sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- The road to a long lifespan in the Persian squirrel, a natural model for extended longevity: resisting free radical stress and healthy phospholipids.GeroScience · 2026Article
- SUMOylation machinery protein, PIAS4 role in breast cancer cell proliferation and drug sensitivity.Molecular biology reports · 2026Article
- De novo genome assembly of Ansell's mole-rat (Fukomys anselli).G3 (Bethesda, Md.) · 2026Article
347 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
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Authors and funding
10 authors at 4 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
Abstract
The naked mole rat (Heterocephalus glaber) displays exceptional longevity, with a maximum lifespan exceeding 30 years. This is the longest reported lifespan for a rodent species and is especially striking considering the small body mass of the naked mole rat. In comparison, a similarly sized house mouse has a maximum lifespan of 4 years. In addition to their longevity, naked mole rats show an unusual resistance to cancer. Multi-year observations of large naked mole-rat colonies did not detect a single incidence of cancer. Here we identify a mechanism responsible for the naked mole rat's cancer resistance. We found that naked mole-rat fibroblasts secrete extremely high-molecular-mass hyaluronan (HA), which is over five times larger than human or mouse HA. This high-molecular-mass HA accumulates abundantly in naked mole-rat tissues owing to the decreased activity of HA-degrading enzymes and a unique sequence of hyaluronan synthase 2 (HAS2). Furthermore, the naked mole-rat cells are more sensitive to HA signalling, as they have a higher affinity to HA compared with mouse or human cells. Perturbation of the signalling pathways sufficient for malignant transformation of mouse fibroblasts fails to transform naked mole-rat cells. However, once high-molecular-mass HA is removed by either knocking down HAS2 or overexpressing the HA-degrading enzyme, HYAL2, naked mole-rat cells become susceptible to malignant transformation and readily form tumours in mice. We speculate that naked mole rats have evolved a higher concentration of HA in the skin to provide skin elasticity needed for life in underground tunnels. This trait may have then been co-opted to provide cancer resistance and longevity to this species.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.