Extrarenal expression of α-klotho, the kidney related longevity gene, in Heterocephalus glaber, the long living Naked Mole Rat

• Published in: Scientific reports 2021-07, Vol.11 (1), p.15375-11, Article 15375
• Main Authors: Morevati, M., Mace, M. L., Egstrand, S., Nordholm, A., Doganli, C., Strand, J., Rukov, J. L., Torsetnes, S. B., Gorbunova, V., Olgaard, K., Lewin, E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 631/337; 631/80; 692/4022; Aging; Aging - genetics; Alzheimer's disease; Animals; Comparative studies; Fibroblasts; Gene expression; Genomes; Glucuronidase - genetics; Growth factors; Heterocephalus glaber; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Kidney - metabolism; Kidneys; Klotho protein; Klotho Proteins; Laboratory animals; Life span; Liver; Liver - metabolism; Longevity; Longevity - genetics; Mice; Mole Rats - genetics; Mole Rats - growth & development; mRNA; multidisciplinary; Physiology; Rodents; Sarcopenia; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Vitamin D
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-94972-1

The Naked Mole Rat (NMR),  Heterocephalus glaber , provides an interesting model for studying biomarkers of longevity due to its long lifespan of more than 30 years, almost ten times longer than that of mice and rats. α-Klotho ( klotho ) is an aging-suppressor gene, and overexpression of klotho is associated with extended lifespan in mice.  Klotho  is predominantly expressed in the kidney. The expression profile of  klotho  in the NMR has not previously been reported. The present investigation studied the expression of klotho  in the kidney of NMR with that of Rattus Norvegicus (RN) and demonstrated that klotho was expressed in the kidney of NMR at the same level as found in RN. Besides, a significant expression of  Kl  mRNA was found in the liver of NMR, in contrast to RN, where no hepatic expression was detected. The Klotho expression was further confirmed at the protein level. Thus, the results of the present comparative study indicate a differential tissue expression of klotho between different species. Besides its important function in the kidney, Klotho might also be of significance in the liver of NMR. It is suggested that the hepatic extrarenal expression of klotho  may function as a further longevity-related factor in supplement to the Klotho in the kidney.