http://www.sinobiological.com/p53-TP53-Protein-a-2444.html?gclid=CPvmjZz3x8wCFQgxaQodBRcIVg Involvement in disease: Note=TP53 is found in increased amounts in a wide variety of transformed cells. TP53 is frequently mutated or inactivated in about 60% of cancers.
I just learned that the Barnum Elephants are retired , they will go live on a ranch, but this doesn't make them useless. They will be studied in cancer research.
Elephants catch a lot less cancer than Humans do, perhaps because they have a lot more of the growth moderating protein P-53 .
As lab animals go , you won't find many more expensive , but since Ringling Brothers , Barnum and Bailey Circus has got to retire them anyway, might as well let them be useful.
This has the potential for discovering a pill that reduces your odds of catching cancer 60% or so and perhaps also improving the effectiveness of treatment about that much. This is a big deal.
Elephants are long lived and highly intelligent , they communicate with one another a lot.
If the Human Race learns from the Elephant how to live a lot longer and have a lot less painful disease, what do we owe them?
Do we already owe something to mice?