Naked mole rats have distinctive cardiometabolic and genetic adaptations to their underground low-oxygen lifestyles (non-genetic data)

The naked mole-rat Heterocephalus glaber is a eusocial mammal exhibiting
extreme longevity (37-year lifespan), extraordinary resistance to hypoxia
and absence of cardiovascular disease. To identify the mechanisms behind
these exceptional traits, metabolomics and RNAseq of cardiac tissue from
naked mole-rats were compared to other African mole-rat genera. We
identified metabolic and genetic adaptations unique to naked mole-rats
including elevated glycogen, thus enabling glycolytic ATP generation
during cardiac ischemia. Elevated normoxic expression of HIF-1α was
observed while downstream hypoxia-responsive genes were down-regulated,
suggesting adaptation to low-oxygen environments. Naked mole-rat hearts
showed reduced succinate build-up during ischemia and negligible tissue
damage following ischemia-reperfusion injury. These adaptive evolutionary
traits reflect a unique hypoxic and eusocial lifestyle that collectively
may contribute to their longevity and health span.