How BATS are helping to fight ageing – as scientists discover protein that could battle heart disease and arthritis
BATS could hold the key to fighting ageing and even some heart diseases, a study has suggested.
Scientists have been investigating how bats’ resilience to deadly sicknesses could help humans fight against their own.
Bats are known to be unscathed by deadly pathogens such as the Ebola virus and COVID-19.
But now, researchers from Duke-NUS Medical School have found a unique protein which is behind the bat’s immunity.
With the help of genetic engineering, it’s hoped that this protein could help fight against immune diseases such as arthritis in humans.
Researcher Dr Linfa Wang told The Telegraph said that the protein ASC2 dampens the immune response which can cause deadly inflammation when humans contract the diseases.
He explained: “It may not be the only factor, as biology is never as simple as one molecule or one pathway.
“But the overall dampening of inflammation most likely plays a role in health aging in bats.
“We have filed patents based on this work and are exploring commercial partnerships for drug discovery.
“We are hoping to develop a new class of anti-inflammatory drugs for inflammasome-driven human diseases.”
And the study is showing promise, after the death rate from a flu virus halved in mice who were given the unique protein.
The team explained: “Our results demonstrate an important mechanism by which bats limit excessive virus-induced and stress-related inflammation with implications for their long lifespan.”
If successful, it means humans who suffer from inflammatory diseases such as arthritis and heart disease could have improved quality of life as well.
Last year, experts warned that those with a common form of arthritis have a significantly higher risk of a killer disease.
Gout is a form of arthritis whereby small crystals form inside and around the joints, causing agony.
It comes in sudden severe flares which can be triggered by an indulgent fatty meal or boozing.
An episode of gout typically lasts between five and seven days, starting with pain in the joints such as the toes, elbows and wrists.
But researchers have now found a more serious side effect that could occur for up to four months after gout.
Researchers, including scientists from the University of Nottingham and Keele University, looked at whether these people had suffered a cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack or stroke.
They found that, among this group, 10,475 patients went on to have a cardiovascular event.
Patients who suffered from a heart attack or stroke were almost twice as likely to have had a gout flare in the two months prior.