Scientists have demonstrated that the loss of the p63 mouse gene, of which similar versions are present in many organisms, reduces the life expectancy of the rodents.
Mice that are born without the p63 gene do not survive. Therefore, researchers previously conducted studies of mice born with only one copy of the gene, yet these animals still died at a young age.
Consequently, in order to study p63 function in adults, the investigators had to devise a sophisticated molecular genetic technique that enabled them to eliminate both copies of the gene from particular tissues, (including skin and other multi-layered epithelial tissues), after the animals reached maturity.
The effects of premature aging observed in these p63 deficient mice included hair loss, reduced fitness and body weight, progressive curvature of the spine, and a shortened lifespan.
The researchers suggest the findings may have wider reaching implications than aging: “Aging and cancer are two sides of the same coin. In one case, cells stop dividing and in the other, they can’t stop dividing. We suspect that having the right amount of the p63 protein in the right cells at the right time creates a balance that enables organisms to live relatively cancer-free for a reasonably long time,” said Alea Mills of Cold Spring Harbor laboratory.