"Elephants' Anti-Cancer Genes: Unveiling the Secret of Hot Testicles"

A study published in Trends in Ecology & Evolution suggests that the absence of testicular descent in elephants may have driven the development of multiple anti-cancer genes, safeguarding their temperature-sensitive sperm production. Elephants possess 20 copies of the TP53 gene, compared to the single copy found in other animals, including humans. The study proposes that the proliferation of TP53 genes primarily evolved to support DNA stabilization in the spermatogonia, ensuring the production of robust spermatozoa and safeguarding the germ line. This research offers valuable insights into understanding the cellular response to DNA damage in humans and provides a unique system to study the evolution of defense mechanisms against cancer.