Mechanisms of Cancer-Resistant Mammals

Abstract

Cancer is a medical disorder when a few of the body’s cells multiply uncontrollably and extend in a considerable amount of time. Researchers are trying everything to find a solution for cancer. This review is mainly focused on elephants, bowhead whales, naked mole rats and their inner mechanisms, which make them resistant to cancer. Statistically, larger animals such as elephants have much more cells then human, which means that they ought to have more cases of cancer, but there is an inner mechanism, which works in these animals and makes them cancer resistant. Elephants possess unique p53 genes with 20 copies, while people only have one. If cells are severely damaged, the p53 genes instructs the cells to be destroyed due to potential cancer risk. This process appeared to cause them to activate the LIF6 gene, and that leads to apoptosis of shattered cells. Bowhead whales are able to repair double-strand breaks more accurately and more efficiently. Bowhead whales are less likely than humans to create removals when repairing mismatched DNA termini. Naked mole rat cells are immune to cancer as they are more susceptible to early and firsthand suppression, which is a mechanism that prevents tumors from forming. Unfortunately, humans are still clueless about how to transfer the cancer preventing methods which exist in these three magical organisms into human. Hopefully, with the rapid development of technology and advances in the biomedical field, one day scientists will be able to put these theories into practice.