Why deer antlers could point the way to a new branch of cancer research
- The animals can grow a new set of antlers each year, thanks in part to a combination of cancer-related and tumour-suppressing genes, a Chinese-led study finds
Cancer-related genes allow deer to grow a new pair of antlers every year but the animals rarely die of the disease thanks to tumour-suppressing genes that keep the aggressive cells in check, an international study led by Chinese researchers has found.
The researchers also found that while some deer might have tumours all over their body, the growths do almost no harm and disappear with time.
The findings, published in the latest issue of the journal Science, could open up new directions in organ regeneration and cancer treatments, according to the researchers.
Wang Wen, the study’s lead author and professor of biology at Northwestern Polytechnical University in Xian, Shaanxi province, said deer were unique for their ability to regrow antlers – complex organs of bones, blood vessels, nerves, muscle, skin and even fur, known as velvet.
“Deer can completely regenerate an organ. No other mammal has that ability,” Wang said.
Antlers grow rapidly – up to 2.5cm (one inch) a day in the case of red deer – and Wang’s team identified nine genes involved in antler cell growth.