科学家发现使裸鼢鼠免疫癌症的化合物

时间：2013-06-20 06:32:05

（单词翻译:单击）

Two researchers at the University of Rochester have discovered the chemical that makes naked mole1 rats cancer-proof. The findings could eventually lead to new cancer treatments in people, said study authors Andrei Seluanov and Vera Gorbunova. Their research paper will be published this week in the journal Nature.
 
Naked mole rats are small, hairless, subterranean2（地下的，秘密的） rodents3 that have never been known to get cancer, despite having a 30-year lifespan. The research group led by Seluanov and Gorbunova discovered that these rodents are protected from cancer because their tissues are very rich with high molecular4 weight hyaluronan（透明质酸） (HMW-HA).
 
The biologists' focus on HMW-HA began after they noticed that a gooey（胶粘的） substance in the naked mole rat culture was clogging5 the vacuum pumps and tubing. They also observed that, unlike the naked mole rat culture, other media containing cells from humans, mice, and guinea pigs（豚鼠） were not viscous6.
 
"We needed to understand what the goo was," said Seluanov.
 
Gorbunova and Seluanov identified the substance as HMW-HA, which caused them to test its possible role in naked mole rat's cancer resistance.
 
Seluanov and Gorbunova then showed that when HMW-HA was removed, the cells became susceptible7 to tumors, confirming that the chemical did play a role in making naked mole rats cancer-proof. The Rochester team also identified the gene8, named HAS2, responsible for making HMW-HA in the naked mole rat. Surprisingly, the naked mole rat gene was different from HAS2 in all other animals. In addition the naked mole rats were very slow at recycling HMW-HA, which contributed to the accumulation of the chemical in the animals' tissues.
 
The next step will be to test the effectiveness of HMW-HA in mice. If that test goes well, Seluanov and Gorbunova hope to try the chemical on human cells. "There's indirect evidence that HMW-HA would work in people," said Seluanov. "It's used in anti-wrinkle injections and to relieve pain from arthritis9 in knee joints10, without any adverse11 effects. Our hope is that it can also induce an anti-cancer response."
 
"A lot of cancer research focuses on animals that are prone12 to cancer," said Gorbunova. "We think it's possible to learn strategies for preventing tumors by studying animals that are cancer-proof."
 
Previous research by Seluanov and Gorbunova showed that the p16 gene in naked mole rats stopped the proliferation of cells when too many of them crowd together. In their latest work, the two biologists identified HMW-HA as the chemical that activates13 the anti-cancer response of the p16 gene.
 
The research was supported by grants from the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the Ellison Medical Foundation.
 
Hyaluronan (HA), which makes tissues supple14 and aids in the healing process, is found in high concentrations in the skin of naked mole rats. The biologists speculate that the rodents developed higher levels of HA in their skin to accommodate life in underground tunnels.
 
Future research from the Gorbunova and Seluanov labs will focus on determining whether the HMW-HA from naked mole rats may have clinical value for either treating or preventing cancer in humans.

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1 mole 26Nzn     
n.胎块；痣；克分子
参考例句：
  • She had a tiny mole on her cheek.她的面颊上有一颗小黑痣。
  • The young girl felt very self- conscious about the large mole on her chin.那位年轻姑娘对自己下巴上的一颗大痣感到很不自在。
2 subterranean ssWwo     
adj.地下的，地表下的
参考例句：
  • London has 9 miles of such subterranean passages.伦敦像这样的地下通道有9英里长。
  • We wandered through subterranean passages.我们漫游地下通道。
3 rodents 1ff5f0f12f2930e77fb620b1471a2124     
n.啮齿目动物( rodent的名词复数 )
参考例句：
  • Rodents carry diseases and are generally regarded as pests. 啮齿目动物传播疾病，常被当作害虫对待。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Some wild rodents in Africa also harbor the virus. 在非洲，有些野生啮齿动物也是储毒者。 来自辞典例句
4 molecular mE9xh     
adj.分子的；克分子的
参考例句：
  • The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms.这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。
  • For the pressure to become zero, molecular bombardment must cease.当压强趋近于零时，分子的碰撞就停止了。
5 clogging abee9378633336a938e105f48e04ae0c     
堵塞，闭合
参考例句：
  • This process suffers mainly from clogging the membrane. 这种过程的主要问题是滤膜的堵塞。
  • And you know that eyewitness that's been clogging up the airwaves? 你知道那个充斥着电视广播的目击证人？
6 viscous KH3yL     
adj.粘滞的，粘性的
参考例句：
  • Gases are much less viscous than liquids.气体的粘滞性大大小于液体。
  • The mud is too viscous.You must have all the agitators run.泥浆太稠，你们得让所有的搅拌机都开着。
7 susceptible 4rrw7     
adj.过敏的，敏感的；易动感情的，易受感动的
参考例句：
  • Children are more susceptible than adults.孩子比成人易受感动。
  • We are all susceptible to advertising.我们都易受广告的影响。
8 gene WgKxx     
n.遗传因子，基因
参考例句：
  • A single gene may have many effects.单一基因可能具有很多种效应。
  • The targeting of gene therapy has been paid close attention.其中基因治疗的靶向性是值得密切关注的问题之一。
9 arthritis XeyyE     
n.关节炎
参考例句：
  • Rheumatoid arthritis has also been linked with the virus.风湿性关节炎也与这种病毒有关。
  • He spent three months in the hospital with acute rheumatic arthritis.他患急性风湿性关节炎，在医院住了三个月。
10 joints d97dcffd67eca7255ca514e4084b746e     
接头( joint的名词复数 )； 关节； 公共场所（尤指价格低廉的饮食和娱乐场所） （非正式）； 一块烤肉 （英式英语）
参考例句：
  • Expansion joints of various kinds are fitted on gas mains. 各种各样的伸缩接头被安装在煤气的总管道上了。
  • Expansion joints of various kinds are fitted on steam pipes. 各种各样的伸缩接头被安装在蒸气管道上了。
11 adverse 5xBzs     
adj.不利的；有害的；敌对的，不友好的
参考例句：
  • He is adverse to going abroad.他反对出国。
  • The improper use of medicine could lead to severe adverse reactions.用药不当会产生严重的不良反应。
12 prone 50bzu     
adj.(to)易于…的，很可能…的；俯卧的
参考例句：
  • Some people are prone to jump to hasty conclusions.有些人往往作出轻率的结论。
  • He is prone to lose his temper when people disagree with him.人家一不同意他的意见,他就发脾气。
13 activates 78ec2b8b23e0120508757d953f1013d1     
使活动，起动，触发( activate的第三人称单数 )
参考例句：
  • Activates the window and displays it in its current size and position. 激活窗口，保持当前的大小及位置不变。
  • Pulling out the alarm switch activates alarm and pushing it deactivates it. 闹钟的开和关是通过拔出和按入闹铃开关实现的。
14 supple Hrhwt     
adj.柔软的，易弯的，逢迎的，顺从的，灵活的；vt.使柔软，使柔顺，使顺从；vi.变柔软，变柔顺
参考例句：
  • She gets along well with people because of her supple nature.她与大家相处很好，因为她的天性柔和。
  • He admired the graceful and supple movements of the dancers.他赞扬了舞蹈演员优雅灵巧的舞姿。

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