Circulating miRNAs Expression in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
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Published:2023-06-24
Issue:13
Volume:24
Page:10582
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ISSN:1422-0067
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Container-title:International Journal of Molecular Sciences
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language:en
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Short-container-title:IJMS
Author:
Soffritti Irene1ORCID, Gravelsina Sabine2ORCID, D’Accolti Maria1ORCID, Bini Francesca1, Mazziga Eleonora1, Vilmane Anda2ORCID, Rasa-Dzelzkaleja Santa2ORCID, Nora-Krukle Zaiga2ORCID, Krumina Angelika3, Murovska Modra2ORCID, Caselli Elisabetta1ORCID
Affiliation:
1. Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, and LTTA, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy 2. Institute of Microbiology and Virology, Rīga Stradiņš University, LV-1067 Riga, Latvia 3. Faculty of Medicine, Department of Infectology, Rīga Stradiņš University, LV-1006 Riga, Latvia
Abstract
Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a complex multifactorial disease that causes increasing morbidity worldwide, and many individuals with ME/CFS symptoms remain undiagnosed due to the lack of diagnostic biomarkers. Its etiology is still unknown, but increasing evidence supports a role of herpesviruses (including HHV-6A and HHV-6B) as potential triggers. Interestingly, the infection by these viruses has been reported to impact the expression of microRNAs (miRNAs), short non-coding RNA sequences which have been suggested to be epigenetic factors modulating ME/CFS pathogenic mechanisms. Notably, the presence of circulating miRNAs in plasma has raised the possibility to use them as valuable biomarkers for distinguishing ME/CFS patients from healthy controls. Thus, this study aimed at determining the role of eight miRNAs, which were selected for their previous association with ME/CFS, as potential circulating biomarkers of the disease. Their presence was quantitatively evaluated in plasma from 40 ME/CFS patients and 20 healthy controls by specific Taqman assays, and the results showed that six out of the eight of the selected miRNAs were differently expressed in patients compared to controls; more specifically, five miRNAs were significantly upregulated (miR-127-3p, miR-142-5p, miR-143-3p, miR-150-5p, and miR-448), and one was downmodulated (miR-140-5p). MiRNA levels directly correlated with disease severity, whereas no significant correlations were observed with the plasma levels of seven pro-inflammatory cytokines or with the presence/load of HHV-6A/6B genome, as judged by specific PCR amplification. The results may open the way for further validation of miRNAs as new potential biomarkers in ME/CFS and increase the knowledge of the complex pathways involved in the ME/CFS development.
Funder
EU H2020 project VirA Latvian Science Council’s Fundamental and Applied Research
Subject
Inorganic Chemistry,Organic Chemistry,Physical and Theoretical Chemistry,Computer Science Applications,Spectroscopy,Molecular Biology,General Medicine,Catalysis
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