How Tibet’s High Himalaya frogs could help spawn better defences against skin cancer

A study looking at how Tibetan frogs living at high altitude have evolved to better protect themselves from ultraviolet radiation could help scientists better understand human diseases such as skin cancer, according to researchers involved in the project.

The team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences discovered a number of genetic and molecular mechanisms that give the frogs better protections than similar species living at lower altitude.

Su Bing, a researcher with the academy’s Kunming Institute of Zoology, said the mechanisms that help frogs adapt to UV may be useful in understanding similar processes in humans.

“The skin structure of frogs and human beings are different so their mechanisms, including genes involved in resistance to UV radiation, may be different but the pigment formation may be similar,” said Su, who was not involved in the study.

Overexposure to UV radiation can damage the eyes and skin, as well as causing serious illnesses such as melanoma and other types of skin cancer.

Species at high altitudes tend to have a higher capability to block UV radiation, and the differences can be reflected at the molecular level, according to the study, which was published in the peer-reviewed Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Tuesday.