Mutant Wolves Thriving in Chernobyl Aftermath Could Revolutionize Human Cancer Treatment

Mutant wolves thriving in the aftermath of the world’s worst nuclear disaster could help revolutionize cancer treatment methods.

Researchers say gray wolves in an abandoned and highly radioactive part of Ukraine are warding off the disease in a way that resembles radiation therapy in cancer patients, Knewz.com has learned.

Mutant gray wolves are thriving in the aftermath of Chernobyl nuclear disaster, warding off cancer despite exposure to high levels of radiation, according to new research. By: MEGA

Contrary to common belief, domestic dogs share more similarities with humans in their battle against cancer than the traditional laboratory mouse, according to a statement published by the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB) on Thursday, January 4.

“Surprisingly, this makes studying their wilder cousins, the gray wolf (Canis lupus), an excellent choice to understand how we might treat cancer one day,” the statement said. “Esoteric and challenging, scientists can’t just go out and survey the neighborhood wolf pack for answers. Instead, they have to go where wolves and cancer are sure to collide.”

In 1986, a nuclear reactor at the Chernobyl power plant infamously exploded, leading to the release of cancer-causing radiation and the evacuation of a 1,000-square-mile area of Northern Ukraine. Following the catastrophic event, the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ) became a desolate area, devoid of humans but teeming with wildlife, including populations of gray wolves.

The researchers found that the Chernobyl grey wolves endured radiation levels exceeding safety limits for humans by more than six times. By: MEGA

Cara Love, an evolutionary biologist and ecotoxicologist at Princeton University, set out to study how these animals were coping with chronic radiation exposure, and how this may be linked to cancer.

She “combined her passion for conservation and nature-based solutions to study how the wolves of Chernobyl survive and thrive despite generations of exposure and the accumulation of radioactive particles in their bodies,” the SICB press release said.

In 2014, Love and her team ventured into the CEZ, equipped with specialized GPS collars fitted with radiation-measuring devices. By placing these collars on wolves, “we get real time measurements of where they are and how much [radiation] they are exposed to,” Love said.

The wolves were fitted with specialized GPS collars equipped with radiation-measuring devices. By: MEGA

The researchers found that the Chernobyl wolves endured radiation levels exceeding safety limits for humans by more than six times, yet they exhibited immune system changes akin to cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy.

“And most promising, [Love] has identified specific regions of the wolf genome that seem resilient to increased cancer risk,” the SICB said.

While conventional studies tend to focus on identifying mutations associated with increased cancer risk, Love’s work seeks out protective mutations that enhance the likelihood of survival.

Her team has faced challenges, however, like obstacles posed by the Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing war in the region.

The Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ) is a 1,000-square-mile area of Northern Ukraine that was abandoned due to high levels of cancer-causing radiation after the catastrophic nuclear reactor explosion in 1986. By: MEGA

“Our priority is for people and collaborators there to be as safe as possible,” Love said.

She presented her findings at the Annual Meeting of the Society of Integrative and Comparative Biology in Seattle, Washington, in January.

Gray wolves are the largest wild members of the dog family, and are found in North America, Europe and Asia, according to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.