Scientists recently discovered a new protein that could explain one of the world’s most mysterious diseases: Myalgic EncephalomyelitisAlso known as Chronic Fatigue SyndromeME/CFS
It may be baffling to doctors who have dismissed ME/CFS for years, but not to researchers who are slowly building a picture as to what triggers the debilitating condition, or to sufferers who experience its relentless exhaustion on a daily basis.
Every cell is a power-generating machine. mitochondriaThey power our neurons, replenish our minds, and keep muscles active.
New evidence from US researchers has been added to the argument that alcohol is a harmful substance. Growing theoryThe following are some examples of how to use malfunctioning mitochondriaYou could be One potential causeME/CFS is a form of energy-limiting illness. Long COVID.
ME/CFS is often diagnosed in people with ME/CFS FeelingsLike a dead or utterly depleted battery. Chronic fatigue is not the same as everyday fatigue It doesn’t go away with sleepIt is often worsened by exercise.
Paul Hwang, an American physician-scientist from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, and his team discovered that a forgotten protein was present in unusually high amounts in the woman’s cells.
The 38 year old woman suffered from an increasing fatigue (without an official diagnosis), which began after a teenage episode. MononucleosisEpstein-Barr virus infection The virus.
VirusesBoth inflammation and mitochondrial damage can cause energy production issues that drain cells of fuel. However, the exact mechanism by which mitochondria collapse is not known.
In a previous case, the suspect protein, WASF3, was linked to chronic fatigue. 2011 meta-analysisNo one followed up. The blood test confirmed that the symptoms of extreme fatigue in the woman were caused by an overexpression of this protein.
Hwang and his colleagues discovered that WASF3 interfered with mitochondrial function in cultured cells by interfering protein complexes which normally unite for energy production. The mitochondria in the cells used less oxygen and produced a lower amount of energy.
Mice engineered over-express WASF3 also showed dysfunctional mitochondria and fatigued muscles during exercise tests.
This was in line with the results of tests done on the 38 year old woman’s muscles. These revealed that the mitochondria replenished their energy stores at an abnormally low rate after short exercise.
Hwang, along with his colleagues, found elevated levels of WASF3 when they examined muscle samples from 14 people who had ME/CFS. In comparison to 10 healthy individuals, those with ME/CFS showed lower levels of mitochondrial proteins complexes within their muscle cells.
Huang and colleagues: “Our study provides molecular explanations for the patients’ bioenergetic deficiencies, which could be applicable not only to ME/CFS, but also to other chronic fatigue conditions such as long COVID.” Published papers are encouraged to be written in.
Researchers have some ideas about how WASF3 is elevated. Researchers believe too much WASF3 is the result of stress to the mitochondria’s closest companion, the Endoplasmic reticulum.
Endoplasmic reticulum is responsible for packaging and folding proteins. It has been reported that viral infections trigger ER-stress responses.
Cells and muscle biopsy samples of the women with ME/CFS also showed biochemical markers for ER stress.
Inducing ER stress in mice sent WASF3 levels rising, while treating cells with a drug that inhibits ER stress lowered WASF3 levels – and importantly, restored mitochondrial function.
Although more research is required to confirm these connections, this study is an encouraging first step in identifying the underlying causes and designing treatments for ME/CFS.
Researchers have found that there are disturbances within the gastrointestinal tract. gut bacteriaThe following are some examples of how to get started: immune cellsYou might also consider Chronic fatigue, plus Brain changesLong COVID mirrors symptoms of ME/CFS
This devastating disease has been ignored for too long. All of these research avenues should be pursued until we learn more.
The study was published by PNAS.
