Sexual activity and/or reproduction are associated with a doubling of life expectancy in the long-lived rodent genus Fukomys. To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying this phenomenon, we analyzed 636 RNA-seq samples across 15 tissues. This analysis suggests that changes in the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal stress axis play a key role regarding the extended life expectancy of reproductive vs. non-reproductive mole-rats. This is substantiated by a corpus of independent evidence. In accordance with previous studies, the up-regulation of the proteasome and so-called 'anti-aging molecules', for example, dehydroepiandrosterone, is linked with enhanced lifespan. On the other hand, several of our results are not consistent with knowledge about aging of short-lived model organisms. For example, we found the up-regulation of the insulin-like growth factor 1/growth hormone axis and several other anabolic processes to be compatible with a considerable lifespan prolongation. These contradictions question the extent to which findings from short-lived species can be transferred to longer-lived ones.

• MeSH
• dehydroepiandrosteron farmakologie   MeSH
• dlouhověkost genetika   MeSH
• exprese genu MeSH
• insulinu podobný růstový faktor I metabolismus   MeSH
• mikroftalmičtí podzemní hlodavci genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• psychický stres metabolismus   MeSH
• rozmnožování * MeSH
• sexuální chování zvířat MeSH
• systém hypofýza - nadledviny metabolismus   MeSH
• systém hypotalamus-hypofýza metabolismus   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH

Ruby et al. recently analyzed historical lifespan data on more than 3200 naked mole-rats, collected over a total observation period of about 38 years (Ruby et al., 2018). They report that mortality hazards do not seem to increase across the full range of their so-far-observed lifespan, and conclude that this defiance of Gompertz's law 'uniquely identifies the naked mole-rat as a non-aging mammal'. Here, we explain why we believe this conclusion is premature.

• MeSH
• dlouhověkost * MeSH
• mikroftalmičtí podzemní hlodavci * MeSH
• savci MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• komentáře MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH