Activin B is a novel biomarker for chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) diagnosis: a cross sectional study

Journal of Translational Medicine

Research

Donald P. Lewis¹  Helen Ludlow²  Badia Kita³  Brett A. Lidbury⁴  Susan Hayward⁵  Mark P. Hedger⁵  David M. de Kretser⁶ 

[1] CFS Discovery, Donvale Medical Specialist Centre, 3111, Donvale, VIC, Australia;Centre for Proteins and Peptides, School of Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Headington, OX3 0BP, Oxford, UK;Paranta Biosciences Limited, 3161, Caulfield North, VIC, Australia;Pattern Recognition and Pathology, Department of Genome Sciences, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, 2601, Canberra, ACT, Australia;The National Centre for Epidemiology and Public Health, The Research School of Population Health, ANU, 2601, Canberra, ACT, Australia;The Hudson Medical Research Institute, Monash University, 3168, Clayton, VIC, Australia;The Hudson Medical Research Institute, Monash University, 3168, Clayton, VIC, Australia;Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, 3168, Clayton, VIC, Australia;

关键词: Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME);    Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS);    Biomarker;    Activins;    Diagnosis;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12967-017-1161-4

 received in 2017-01-11, accepted in 2017-03-10,  发布年份 2017

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundInvestigations of activin family proteins as serum biomarkers for chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME). CFS/ME is a disease with complex, wide-ranging symptoms, featuring persistent fatigue of 6 months or longer, particularly post exertion. No definitive biomarkers are available.MethodsA cross-sectional, observational study of CFS/ME patients fulfilling the 2003 Canadian Consensus Criteria, in parallel with healthy non-fatigued controls, was conducted. Comparisons with a previously defined activin reference population were also performed. For the total study cohort the age range was 18–65 years with a female: male participant ratio of greater than 3:1. All participants were assessed via a primary care community clinic. Blood samples were collected for pathology testing after physical examination and orthostatic intolerance assessment. Cytokines, activin A, activin B and follistatin were also measured in sera from these samples. All data were compared between the CFS/ME and control cohorts, with the activins and follistatin also compared with previously defined reference intervals.ResultsSerum activin B levels for CFS/ME participants were significantly elevated when compared to the study controls, as well as the established reference interval. Serum activin A and follistatin were within their normal ranges. All routine and special pathology markers were within the normal laboratory reference intervals for the total study cohort, with no significant differences detected between CFS/ME and control groups. Also, no significant differences were detected for IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17A, TNF or IFN-gamma.ConclusionElevated activin B levels together with normal activin A levels identified patients with the diagnostic symptoms of CFS/ME, thus providing a novel serum based test. The activins have multiple physiological roles and capture the diverse array of symptoms experienced by CFS/ME patients.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© The Author(s) 2017