title: High autophagy in the naked mole rat may play a significant role in maintaining good health.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The maximum lifespan of the naked mole rat is over 28.3 years, which exceeds that of any other rodent species, suggesting that age-related changes in its body composition and functionality are either attenuated or delayed in this extraordinarily long-lived species. However, the mechanisms underlying the aging process in this species are poorly understood. In this study, we investigated whether long-lived naked mole rats display more autophagic activity than short-lived mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hepatic stellate cells isolated from naked mole rats were treated with 50 nM rapamycin or 20 mM 3-methyladenine (3-MA) for 12 or 24 h. Expression of the autophagy marker proteins LC3-II and beclin 1 was measured with western blotting and immunohistochemistry. The induction of apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results demonstrate that one-day-old naked mole rats have higher levels of autophagy than one-day-old short-lived C57BL/6 mice, and that both adult naked mole rats (eight months old) and adult C57BL/6 mice (eight weeks old) have high basal levels of autophagy, which may be an important mechanism inhibiting aging and reducing the risk of age-related diseases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Here, we report that autophagy facilitated the survival of hepatic stellate cells from the naked mole rat, and that treatment with 3-MA or rapamycin increased the ratio of apoptotic cells to normal hepatic stellate cells.
authors: Laboratory Animal Centre of the Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
authors: Shanmin
authors: S
authors: Zhao
authors: Lifang
authors: L
authors: Lin
authors: Guanghan
authors: G
authors: Kan
authors: Chang
authors: C
authors: Xu
authors: Qiu
authors: Q
authors: Tang
authors: Chenlin
authors: C
authors: Yu
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Sun
authors: Liping
authors: L
authors: Cai
authors: Chen
authors: C
authors: Xu
authors: Shufang
authors: S
authors: Cui
mesh_terms: D000225:Adenine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D001343:Autophagy / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D055166:Hepatic Stellate Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D008136:Longevity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D019577:Mole Rats; D020123:Sirolimus / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; C025946:3-methyladenine; D000225:Adenine; D020123:Sirolimus