MtDNA population variation in Myalgic encephalomyelitis/Chronic fatigue syndrome in two populations (2019), De Venter et al.

Source: Scientific Reports

Preprint

Date: January 15, 2019

URL: http://sro.sussex.ac.uk/81281/

Ref: http://www.nature.com/srep/

MtDNA population variation in Myalgic encephalomyelitis/Chronic fatigue syndrome in two populations: A study of mildly deleterious variants
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Marianne De Venter, Cara Tomas, Ilse Pienaar, Victoria, Strassheim, Elardus Erasmus, Wan-Fai,Ng, Neil Howell, Julia Newton, Francois Van der Westhuizen, Joanna Elson
- Brighton and Sussex Medical School

Abstract

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a debilitating condition. There is growing interest in a possible etiologic or pathogenic role of mitochondrial dysfunction and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation in ME/CFS. Supporting such a link, fatigue is common and often severe in patients with mitochondrial disease. We investigate the role of mtDNA variation in ME/CFS. No proven pathogenic mtDNA mutations were found. We then investigated population variation. Two cohorts were analysed, one from the UK (n = 89 moderately affected; 29 severely affected) and the other from South Africa (n = 143 moderately affected). For both cohorts, ME/CFS patients had an excess of individuals without a mildly deleterious population variant. The differences in population variation might reflect a mechanism important to the pathophysiology of ME/CFS.

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(c) 2019 Nature Publishing Group

 

Why do you have a link to Nature? As far as I can see this study isn't published there.

However I did find this report on the Action for ME website that talks about this study

Word file (cached version) at https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&ved=2ahUKEwiz1c-Pq_rfAhVJUxUIHWq6CA0QFjACegQIBxAC&url=https://www.actionforme.org.uk/uploads/images/2018/01/Outline_report_June_II.docx&usg=AOvVaw0peKjgh6-n0R0FzX6zmSnb

 

I just copied the email I received. Shall I remove the Nature link?

 

"Lay Summery"

Not quite right!

 

Not necessarily, it's hardly vital to your post, I was just curious.

I know, I was so tempted to correct it.

 

Wouldn't a person's mitochondrial DNA stay the same throughout their life? That would not explain sudden onset ME.

 

Surely it's not that the mtDNA 'causes' the ME so much as it sets up an environment where ME can be triggered at some point in life if the right other conditions occur, such as the right virus infection or immunisation shot or whatever finally triggered the ME

 

full paper now available

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-39060-1