[SPECTRUM OF SPONTANEOUS PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES IN MOLE-VOLES AND THE EFFECT OF MITOCHONDRIA-TARGETED ANTIOXIDANT SkQ1 ON IT].

The mole vole (Ellobius talpinus (Pallas), Rodentia) is the object of interest for cytogenetics, ecology and gerontology research, peculiarly because of partial similarity of this animal to the unique long-living rodent, mole rat. In this work, the mole vole has been found to have very specific spectrum of tumors and non-tumor pathologies which vastly differs from pathological lesions spectrum in mole rat, laboratory mouse, rat and hamster. Mole voles had relatively small tumor incidence (9% totally in the observed population and 16% in animals dead after the achievement of the first tumor development age) and long minimal span of tumor latency (549 days) that is why this species could be categorized as cancer-resistant in compare to laboratory rodents (mice, rats, hamsters). The most common tumors in mole voles were hepatocellular neoplasms. Main non-tumor lesions were pneumonias and other septic and purulent diseases. Non-incapsulated, Gram-positive streptococci have been elucidated to be sole etiological agents in lesioned tissues. It is very important that septic and purulent diseases in mole voles commonly induced the neoplasia-like lesions (leukemoid reaction and "inflammatory pseudotumors"). Sex differences in pathological spectrum and incidences were not found. At last, it has been established that mitochondria-targeted antioxidant SkQ1 (which prolonged mole vole life span) did not significantly influence on spectrum and incidences of pathologies in mole voles.