You Golden Retrievers, our four-legged friends, are loved by many, but unfortunately, they face a high risk of developing cancer, which can be a sad reality.
However, promising news has come to light — a study recently shed light on a gene that, while associated with cancer, may prove to be a key to extending the lives of these beloved dogs.
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With a harrowing statistic that reveals they have up to a 65% chance of losing their battle against cancer, hope arises in this study carried out by the team at the University of California.
Researchers embarked on a journey to discover what really makes a difference in the fate of these breed dogs.
According to the findings of the study led by researcher Robert Rebhun, the majority of Golden Retrievers has a genetic predisposition to cancer.
However, some of these animals live longer, healthier lives, raising the suspicion that additional genetic factors may be mitigating the effects of high-risk genes.
During a search, the HER4 gene emerged as a leading candidate after analyzing the DNA of 304 Golden Retrievers.
The study compared genetic variations between those who lived to age 14 and those who unfortunately died before turning 12.
The study revealed that Golden Retrievers with certain variations of the HER4 gene enjoyed, on average, almost two additional years of life, as previously mentioned.
Co-author Danika Bannasch emphasized the relevance of this difference in a dog's life, equivalent to an increase of around 15-20% in canine life expectancy, which would translate into an additional 12-14 years in terms humans.
The explanation for this difference may be related to the function of the HER4 gene and its associated protein, which is part of a family of epithelial growth factor receptors.
Such receptors play an essential role in signaling cells to replicate, and are often associated with the rapid cell growth and division observed in cases of human cancer, as is the case with HER2 in breast cancer. breast.
(Image: disclosure)
Rebhun emphasized the relevance of the results, considering that dogs can develop many of the same types of cancer as humans.
According to him, if HER4 gene variants are identified as crucial in the formation or progression of cancer in Golden Retrievers, and if such variants can in fact modify cancer risk in this disease-prone population, these findings could be specifically applied to future cancer research in human beings. humans.
Cancer is a disease of a complex nature, and researchers emphasized that additional studies are essential to fully decipher the enigma of the disease in Golden Retrievers.
Previous research has indicated that the HER4 gene may have interactions with the hormone estrogen, a connection that may be related to the current study's finding.
This suggests that HER4 variants have a preponderant role in the longevity of females compared to males of the species.
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