Israeli Scientists Link Rapid-Growth Gene to Early Aging and Cancer Risk in Fish

Israeli scientists at Hebrew University, in collaboration with researchers from the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology and the University of East Anglia, published findings in Nature Communications showing that manipulating the VGLL3 gene in African turquoise killifish produces a classic biological tradeoff. The gene, linked to puberty and growth in humans, was edited using CRISPR technology. Fish with the altered gene grew faster, reached sexual maturity earlier, and showed enhanced survival and reproduction rates—early-life advantages. However, these benefits came at a significant cost: male fish experienced 15% shorter lifespans and females 7% shorter lifespans, along with increased risk of melanoma-like tumors in both sexes. The researchers observed that accelerated fish displayed aging features similar to humans, including cataracts, muscle loss, fertility decline, and cognitive deterioration. Prof. Itamar Harel noted that the same cellular machinery driving healthy growth in youth can hijack biological systems to promote tumors in old age. The study suggests that understanding these genetic tradeoffs could lead to interventions that extend healthspan—healthy years lived—rather than just lifespan.