Golden retrievers, despite being popular dogs, have a high risk of dying from cancer. However, researchers from the University of California, Davis, conducted a study to identify genetic factors that could improve their survival rate. Instead of focusing on genes associated with cancer diagnosis, they looked for genes related to longer life. Through their research, they discovered a gene called HER4, which is part of a family of proteins known to be important in human cancers. Certain variants of this gene were found to increase the lifespan of golden retrievers by nearly two years.
HER4, also known as ERBB4, belongs to the same family of genes as HER2, which is notorious for promoting rapid cancer cell growth in humans. Since dogs develop many of the same cancers as humans, this discovery could be significant for both species. If it is found that the HER4 variant is important in the formation or progression of cancer in golden retrievers, or if it can modify cancer risk in this predisposed population, it could potentially be used in future cancer studies in humans.
More than 300 golden retrievers were involved in the study, with researchers comparing the DNA of dogs that lived to 14 years old with those that died before 12. They found that dogs with specific variants of the gene had a longer average lifespan of 13.5 years compared to 11.6 years for other dogs. This difference of nearly two years is significant and equivalent to a 15-20% increase in lifespan for goldens, which is comparable to 12-14 years in humans. The study also noted that the gene variant appeared to have a greater impact on the longevity of female dogs compared to males. The next step for researchers is to enroll a larger population of golden retrievers to replicate the results and explore how this genetic variant affects the expression and function of the gene.
In conclusion, researchers have identified a gene variant called HER4 that is associated with longer lifespans in golden retrievers. This gene, which is also involved in human cancers, could potentially serve as a target for future cancer studies. The study found that dogs with specific variants of HER4 lived nearly two years longer on average. This discovery is just one piece of the puzzle regarding the causes of cancer in golden retrievers, and further research is needed to fully understand the genetic factors at play. Future studies will focus on replicating these results with a larger sample size and investigating how this genetic variant impacts the gene’s function and expression.
