From Tate Mitchell via co-cure
Looks like a translation of an original pience in Norwegian - not sure who wrote the original
http://translate.google.com/transla...sala/nya-ron-om-kronisk-trotthet-2787943.aspx
New findings on chronic fatigue
It is common for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome have
antibodies in their blood that target a protein found in both human
cells and bacteria.
It appears from a study published in the prestigious science journal PLoS ONE.
- Because healthy people rarely or never have the kind of antibodies
supports our results the theory that chronic fatigue syndrome in at
least some cases may be a so-called autoimmune disease triggered by a
common infection, says Jonas Blomberg, professor of virology at the
University of Uppsala.
In the study, the researchers synthetically produced smaller parts,
called peptides, a protein called HSP60. HSP60 protein was found both
in the cells' "power plants", mitochondria, multicellular organisms
like ourselves and in bacteria.
- We know from experience that it is common for patients with
diabetes, multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases have
antibodies in their blood that target any part of the HSP60 protein,
says Jonas Blomberg.
With the help of the derived peptides, the researchers have now for
the first time investigated whether also patients with chronic fatigue
syndrome have antibodies in their blood against any part of the HSP60
protein. The answer was yes.
Of the 69 blood samples from patients with chronic fatigue syndrome
contained 17, that is, almost every fourth sample, antibodies against
a peptide present in the HSP60 protein in a bacterium that can cause
troublesome respiratory infections, chlamydia pneumoniae. However,
only one of the samples from 331 healthy blood donors and 68 patients
with either of the two autoimmune diseases multiple sclerosis and SLE
which contained antibodies to this particular peptide.
-
A hypothesis on the basis of our findings is that antibodies
generated in response to an infection may contribute to the symptoms
of chronic fatigue syndrome by disrupting the endogenous HSP60
protein's normal functions in mitochondria. However, this is something
that needs to be further explored in future studies, says Jonas
Blomberg.
Researchers at Uppsala have conducted the study in collaboration with
colleagues at Gottfries Clinic in Mölndal and a research center in
Heidelberg in Germany.
By: Ake Spross ake.spross @ unt.se 018-4781312