Circulating miRNAs Expression in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
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 su...
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MDPI AG
2023-06-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/13/10582 |
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| author | Irene Soffritti Sabine Gravelsina Maria D’Accolti Francesca Bini Eleonora Mazziga Anda Vilmane Santa Rasa-Dzelzkaleja Zaiga Nora-Krukle Angelika Krumina Modra Murovska Elisabetta Caselli |
| author_facet | Irene Soffritti Sabine Gravelsina Maria D’Accolti Francesca Bini Eleonora Mazziga Anda Vilmane Santa Rasa-Dzelzkaleja Zaiga Nora-Krukle Angelika Krumina Modra Murovska Elisabetta Caselli |
| author_sort | Irene Soffritti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 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. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T01:40:13Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9af1e5a8922b4239834cffc3b036246b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1661-6596 1422-0067 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T01:40:13Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-9af1e5a8922b4239834cffc3b036246b2023-11-18T16:40:25ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1661-65961422-00672023-06-0124131058210.3390/ijms241310582Circulating miRNAs Expression in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue SyndromeIrene Soffritti0Sabine Gravelsina1Maria D’Accolti2Francesca Bini3Eleonora Mazziga4Anda Vilmane5Santa Rasa-Dzelzkaleja6Zaiga Nora-Krukle7Angelika Krumina8Modra Murovska9Elisabetta Caselli10Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, and LTTA, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, ItalyInstitute of Microbiology and Virology, Rīga Stradiņš University, LV-1067 Riga, LatviaDepartment of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, and LTTA, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, ItalyDepartment of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, and LTTA, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, ItalyDepartment of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, and LTTA, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, ItalyInstitute of Microbiology and Virology, Rīga Stradiņš University, LV-1067 Riga, LatviaInstitute of Microbiology and Virology, Rīga Stradiņš University, LV-1067 Riga, LatviaInstitute of Microbiology and Virology, Rīga Stradiņš University, LV-1067 Riga, LatviaFaculty of Medicine, Department of Infectology, Rīga Stradiņš University, LV-1006 Riga, LatviaInstitute of Microbiology and Virology, Rīga Stradiņš University, LV-1067 Riga, LatviaDepartment of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, and LTTA, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, ItalyMyalgic 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.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/13/10582myalgic encephalomyelitischronic fatigue syndromemicroRNAHHV-6AHHV-6Bbiomarkers |
| spellingShingle | Irene Soffritti Sabine Gravelsina Maria D’Accolti Francesca Bini Eleonora Mazziga Anda Vilmane Santa Rasa-Dzelzkaleja Zaiga Nora-Krukle Angelika Krumina Modra Murovska Elisabetta Caselli Circulating miRNAs Expression in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome International Journal of Molecular Sciences myalgic encephalomyelitis chronic fatigue syndrome microRNA HHV-6A HHV-6B biomarkers |
| title | Circulating miRNAs Expression in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome |
| title_full | Circulating miRNAs Expression in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome |
| title_fullStr | Circulating miRNAs Expression in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome |
| title_full_unstemmed | Circulating miRNAs Expression in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome |
| title_short | Circulating miRNAs Expression in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome |
| title_sort | circulating mirnas expression in myalgic encephalomyelitis chronic fatigue syndrome |
| topic | myalgic encephalomyelitis chronic fatigue syndrome microRNA HHV-6A HHV-6B biomarkers |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/13/10582 |
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