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Specific correlations between muscle oxidative stress & CFS (hypothesis paper) (2007)

Dolphin

Senior Member
Messages
17,567
Another paper from the Italian muscle team which I found interesting but which doesn't seem to have got much coverage. And again, I probably won't be able to contribute much to the discussion.

Specific correlations between muscle oxidative stress and chronic fatigue syndrome: a working hypothesis.

J Muscle Res Cell Motil. 2007;28(6):355-62. Epub 2008 Feb 15.

Fulle S, Pietrangelo T, Mancinelli R, Saggini R, Fan G.


Source

Ce.S.I.-Center for Research on Ageing, Universit "G. d'Annunzio", Chieti-Pescara, Italy.


Abstract

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a relatively common disorder defined as a status of severe persistent disabling fatigue and subjective unwellness.

While the biological basis of the pathology of this disease has recently been confirmed, its pathophysiology remains to be elucidated.

Moreover, since the causes of CFS have not been identified, treatment programs are directed at symptom relief, with the ultimate goal of the patient regaining some level of pre-existing function and well-being.

Several studies have examined whether CFS is associated with:
(i) a range of infectious agents and or immune disturbance;
(ii) specific changes of activity in the central or peripheral nervous systems;
and
(iii) elevated stress periods, which may be associated with the pathology via genetic mechanisms.

The role of oxidative stress in CFS is an emerging focus of research due to evidence of its association with some pathological features of this syndrome.

New data collectively support the presence of specific critical points in the muscle that are affected by free radicals and in view of these considerations, the possible role of skeletal muscle oxidative imbalance in the genesis of CFS is discussed.

PMID: 18274865 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
 

richvank

Senior Member
Messages
2,732
Hi, Dolphin.

Oxidative stress is perhaps the best substantiated biochemical feature of ME/CFS. I think there are probably a dozen or more studies now that confirm this. For what it's worth, I think the Glutathione Depletion--Methylation Cycle Block hypothesis accounts for this aspect very well.

Best regards,

Rich
 

Dolphin

Senior Member
Messages
17,567
Hi, Dolphin.

Oxidative stress is perhaps the best substantiated biochemical feature of ME/CFS. I think there are probably a dozen or more studies now that confirm this. For what it's worth, I think the Glutathione Depletion--Methylation Cycle Block hypothesis accounts for this aspect very well.

Best regards,

Rich
I'm out of my depth on these things but my general impression is that damage to muscle isn't specifically talked about in a lot of those papers in the way it is discussed by the Italian team.
 

richvank

Senior Member
Messages
2,732
I'm out of my depth on these things but my general impression is that damage to muscle isn't specifically talked about in a lot of those papers in the way it is discussed by the Italian team.

Hi, Dolphin.

I agree. They've done some very detailed work. Looking at the whole body of ME/CFS research, I would say that there is evidence for glutathione depletion, and hence oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction in the skeletal muscles, the heart muscle, the brain and nervous system, cells of the immune system, and some of the glands.

The organs that have a complete transsulfuration pathway and can thus convert methionine to cysteine are able to keep their glutathione levels up fairly well when there is bodywide depletion of glutathione. These include the liver, the kidneys, the pancreas, the intestine, and the lenses of the eyes. The cells of the brain do have a complete transsulfuration pathway, but it runs much more slowly, so is not able to give as much protection as these others enjoy.

Best regards,

Rich