Health surprise: Hibernating bears may help us beat blood clots, says new research

Hibernating bears can’t assist us escape lengthy aircraft flights or unforgiving winters — however they might assist us forestall blood clots.

The bears, throughout hibernation, forestall blood clots in their very own our bodies by preserving a low stage of a key protein of their blood, in line with a brand new examine printed in Science.

Now, the researchers hope their findings will be utilized to growing future medicines in people that may mimic the best way nature prevents blood clots in bears.

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The researchers in contrast blood samples from 13 wild brown bears throughout the winter whereas they had been hibernating with blood samples throughout the summer season when the bears had been extra energetic.

They particularly checked out platelets — which assist the blood type clots — discovering that the hibernating bears’ blood samples had platelets that had been much less more likely to clump collectively than the samples taken of the bears throughout the summer season.

The analysis group additionally discovered that when the platelets did clot, they did so extra slowly.

The examine discovered {that a} key distinction within the bears’ winter and summer season blood samples had been ranges of a protein known as warmth shock protein 47 — or HSP47 — in platelets.

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This protein is often present in cells that type connective tissues like bone and cartilage, in addition to platelets, the place HSP47 attaches to a protein known as collagen that helps them stick collectively to type a clot.

The examine discovered a key distinction within the bears’ winter and summer season blood samples.

The hibernating bears had roughly one-fiftieth of the quantity of HSP47 present in energetic animals.

The analysis was executed by cardiologists on the Ludwig Maximilian College of Munich, who teamed up with a Scandinavian group and different researchers to check hibernating brown bears in Sweden, in line with Science. 

Blood consists of purple blood cells, white blood cells and platelets that float within the liquid portion of the blood generally known as plasma. Once we bleed, this initiates the coagulation — or clotting cascade — that prompts proteins on platelets to clump to fill the outlet within the blood vessel, in order that we cease bleeding.  (iStock)

The researchers additionally carried out lab experiments with mice to verify that HSP47 was the explanation behind the hibernating bears’ lack of blood clots.

The mice that lacked the HSP47 protein had fewer clots and decrease ranges of irritation in comparison with animals who had HSP47. 

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As well as, researchers found that pigs that had not too long ago given beginning — animals which are fairly motionless for as much as 28 days whereas feeding their piglets — additionally had decrease HSP47 ranges in contrast with energetic pigs.  

The findings additionally utilized to individuals who have long-term immobility points.

Pigs that had not too long ago given beginning — animals that stay fairly motionless for as much as 28 days whereas feeding their piglets — additionally had decrease HSP47 ranges, in contrast with energetic pigs, researchers discovered. (iStock)

Folks with spinal cord accidents additionally had low ranges of HSP47. As well as, 12 wholesome volunteers had decrease HSP47 ranges after 27 days of relative immobility in a bed-rest examine.

How the physique kinds clots

“Once we lower ourselves, we bleed as a result of blood vessels below the pores and skin tear,” Dr. Mikkael Sekeres, chief of the division of hematology at Sylvester Most cancers Heart within the College of Miami in Miami, Florida, instructed Fox Information Digital. (He was not concerned within the analysis.)

“They then launch chemical compounds that, in flip, activate proteins within the plasma,” added Sekeres, writer of the e book “Medicine and the FDA: Security, Efficacy, and the Public’s Belief.”

This course of can generally get activated inappropriately even when there is not any bleeding — inflicting “deep vein thrombosis.”

Blood consists of purple blood cells, white blood cells and platelets that float within the liquid portion of the blood generally known as plasma, in line with Cleveland Clinic.

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Once we bleed, this initiates the coagulation — or clotting cascade — that prompts proteins on platelets to clump to fill the outlet within the blood vessel, so we cease bleeding, Sekeres defined.

Deep vein thrombosis will be harmful

This course of can nonetheless generally get activated inappropriately even when there is not any bleeding, inflicting “deep vein thrombosis,” or DVT.

Blood consists of purple blood cells, white blood cells and platelets that float within the liquid portion of the blood generally known as plasma, in line with Cleveland Clinic. Once we bleed, this initiates the coagulation — or clotting cascade — that prompts proteins on platelets to clump to fill the outlet within the blood vessel in order that we cease bleeding, one physician defined.  (iStock)

Frequent signs of DVT embrace swelling, ache, tenderness and redness of the pores and skin within the decrease leg, thigh, pelvis and generally even the arm, in line with the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC).

Some 50% of individuals with DVT is not going to have any signs, the company added.

Folks can usually type within the massive veins within the legs, “which may turn out to be life-threatening in the event that they journey to very important organs just like the lungs — termed [a pulmonary] embolism,” added Sekeres.

A “extended lack of exercise” — akin to throughout lengthy aircraft flights — may cause the blood to pool and make folks extra in danger for DVTs.

A pulmonary embolism, which is essentially the most severe complication of DVT, happens when part of the clot breaks off and travels by way of the bloodstream to the lungs, blocking very important blood circulate, per the CDC.

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Sekeres famous that “extended lack of exercise” — akin to throughout lengthy aircraft flights — may cause the blood to pool and make folks extra in danger for DVTs.

Different danger elements embrace sure medicines, akin to hormone therapies, surgical procedure or “inherited defects within the clotting cascade that encourage it to ‘activate,’” he added.

A business airliner cabin filled with passengers. Health consultants advise that individuals stand up and transfer round once in a while on lengthy flights. Different good recommendation contains stretching the toes and calves to assist blood circulate.  (iStock)

The CDC advises that individuals see a health care provider instantly if they’ve any signs of a DVT.

‘Potential goal’ for DVT remedy

Consultants may assist develop potential medicines that will goal HSP47 from attaching to proteins or immune cells that provoke clots, in line with a report on the examine’s key findings.

Extra analysis is required to raised perceive how the human physique particularly regulates HSP47. 

“We forestall the event of DVTs with medicines that block segments of the coagulation cascade, or that intervene with proteins on platelets, stopping the clot from forming,” Sekeres added.

“The protein HSP47 could possibly be a possible goal for one in all these medicines.”

Most animals use the identical proteins to not solely make clots however to stop blood loss. 

But the sequence of occasions resulting in forming a clot could fluctuate amongst species, in line with Science Information, an impartial journal that experiences on the most recent science.

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Extra analysis is required to raised perceive how the human physique particularly regulates HSP47 — and the way being motionlessness over time motivates the physique to make much less HSP47, Science Information added.