In a study published in the journal PNAS, researchers at CU Boulder have uncovered the remarkable process that takes place in a python’s heart after it devours a massive prey. Within 24 hours, the python’s heart grows 25%, its tissue softens, and its pulse more than doubles as a vast collection of specialized genes kick into action to boost the snake’s metabolism fortyfold. Two weeks later, after the feast has been digested, all systems return to normal, with the heart remaining slightly larger and even stronger than before. This process could potentially inspire novel treatments for conditions like cardiac fibrosis in humans.
Senior author Leslie Leinwand, a professor of molecular, cellular, and developmental biology at CU Boulder, has been studying pythons for nearly two decades in search of clues to improve human health. These massive snakes, which can reach up to 20 feet in length, are able to survive for long periods without eating but can consume prey larger than their own body mass when the opportunity arises. By studying how pythons regulate their heart growth in response to feeding, researchers hope to uncover mechanisms that protect their hearts from harm and apply these findings to human health.
Pythons represent a unique animal model for studying heart growth and disease, as they excel at healthy heart growth similar to elite athletes. Leinwand’s previous work has shown that after a meal, python hearts significantly increase in size, heart rate doubles, and the bloodstream becomes milky with circulating fats that nourish rather than harm the heart tissue. The recent study aimed to further explore this process by feeding pythons who had fasted for 28 days a meal of 25% of their body weight, comparing them to snakes who had not been fed. The results revealed radical changes in cardiac muscle, gene expression, and metabolites in the well-fed snakes.
The well-fed pythons exhibited softened myofibrils, specialized bundles of cardiac muscle that help the heart expand and contract, along with increased force in contraction. Additionally, they showed profound epigenetic differences in gene expression compared to fasting snakes, suggesting a complex regulatory mechanism at play. Further research is needed to identify the specific genes and metabolites involved in this process and their potential therapeutic applications for human health conditions like cardiac fibrosis and other diseases driven by stiff or fibrotic tissue in organs besides the heart.
The ability of the python heart to rapidly remodel itself, becoming less stiff and more energy-efficient within just 24 hours of a meal, is a remarkable feat that could have significant implications for human health. By understanding how pythons regulate their heart growth and metabolism in response to feeding, researchers hope to harness this knowledge for therapeutic use in humans. The study suggests that the python’s ability to burn fat instead of sugar for fuel may hold promise for treating conditions related to stiff or fibrotic tissue in various organs, potentially offering new treatment options for a range of diseases. Further research is needed to elucidate the specific mechanisms at play and how they can be harnessed for therapeutic purposes.
