How to Live for More than 200 Years

Among the oldest animals are Bowhead whales which can live more than 200 years. That means some alive today were born when Napoleon Bonaparte was waging a war.   

Since they can grow to 60 feet and up to 200,000 pounds, the massive numbers of cell divisions required suggest they should have higher rates of cancer than humans and not live as long as they do. So, how do they do it?  

A cell goes through stages before becoming cancerous. It takes a certain number of genetic hits and those mutations gather in key genes that control cell growth and DNA repair. Larger, long-living species can take more hits before cells become cancerous. For example, elephants have higher numbers of p-fifty-three, a tumor suppressor gene. The bottom line is they’re better at repairing DNA and stabilizing the genome.  

That’s especially true in bowhead whales. Scientists found in its connective tissue 100 times higher levels of a DNA repair protein called Cold‑inducible RNA‑binding protein. And they produce more of it when exposed to stressors such as extreme cold and UV radiation.  It’s key to DNA repair and cell health. When researchers added this protein to fruit fly and human cells in culture, their DNA repair improved. Colder temperatures also promoted the protein’s increase.  

We don’t have any approved therapies to promote DNA repair, and some believe it’s not possible, but this study contradicts that and paves the way for future studies.