Scientists from Pisa High School have discovered that Greenland sharks can live for hundreds of years even though they have large scar tissue in their heart tissue. The results were published in the journal Scientific Reports (SciRep).
Greenland sharks (Somniosus microcephalus) are considered one of the longest-living vertebrates: they can live up to 250-500 years. The study analyzed the hearts of six individuals approximately 100-150 years old. Using fluorescence and electron microscopy, scientists have identified severe fibrosis of heart tissue and a large number of markers commonly associated with heart failure and chronic disease in humans.
Professor Alessandro Cellerino from Scuola Superiore de Pisa said: “The large accumulation of the aging markers lipofuscin and nitrotyrosine does not appear to have a negative impact on cardiac function in Greenland sharks. This suggests that the animal has developed mechanisms to tolerate chronic oxidative damage, rather than simply avoiding it.”
For comparison, the researchers studied short-lived species – the velvet-bellied lantern shark and the turquoise killifish. These fish showed no fibrosis and only partially accumulated nitrotyrosine, highlighting the exceptional anti-aging ability of Greenland shark hearts.
According to scientists, this finding could help develop strategies to maintain human cardiovascular health. The researchers also added that to get a more informative picture, it would be necessary to expand the range of animals being studied.
