Ohio State dUTPase Biomarker Announcement

[Hoosierfans]

May have been posted before but in case not:

https://medicine.osu.edu/news/biomarker-for-chronic-fatigue-syndrome

 

[Judee]

I hope.

 

[Pyrrhus]

From the article/press release:

Viruses such as Epstein-Barr virus, human herpesvirus 6 and varicella-zoster virus, all of which establish latent (persistent) infections in their host, can be periodically reactivated over a person’s lifetime.

Researchers led by cancer biology and genetics professors Marshall Williams, PhD, and Maria Ariza, PhD, at The Ohio State University College of Medicine have looked at the association between these viruses and ME/CFS. They have identified the protein deoxyuridine triphosphate nucleotidohydrolase (dUTPase) as a key modulator of the immune response that contributes to the immunological and neurological abnormalities in some individuals. Their work suggests that the dUTPase protein can be used as a biomarker to identify evidence of the disease observed in a subset of patients, paving the way for early detection and prevention of ME/CFS and related illnesses.

“The impact value of our findings is enormous, when you think about the fact that there is currently no commercially available test to measure the concentration of antibodies against the herpesviruses dUTPase proteins present in patients’ sera,” says Dr. Ariza.

 

[Hip]

The presence of dUTPase protein in ME/CFS patients was first brought to our attention by Dr Martin Lerner in a 2012 study.

Dr Martin Lerner theorized that herpesvirus ME/CFS is due to an abortive herpesvirus infection. An abortive infection is one which does not produce viral particles, but smolders away inside cells on a long-term basis.

One protein made in herpesvirus abortive viral infections, as well as in regular productive herpesvirus infections, is deoxyuridine triphosphatase (dUTPase), and this protein can be transmitted cell to cell via exosome transport. The dUTPase protein is known to induce ME/CFS-like symptoms. More info in this post.

Ohio State found around 31% to 53% of ME/CFS patients have high levels of antibodies to the dUTPase protein produced by EBV, HHV-6 and VZV. Ref: here and here. Ohio State believe dUTPase may be a biomarker in a subset of ME/CFS patients (presumably the herpesvirus subset).

 

[WayTooSick]

this sounded exciting until I see somebody else had identified this protein as far back as 2012. Is there any reason to suspect something will come of this in the near term? If not a treatment targeting this protein, at least diagnostics?

 

[Alvin2]

If it can be synthesized they can try injecting ME/CFS patients and controls with it and see if it induces ME symptoms.
It says they have NIH funding which is quite surprising.

 

[Hoosierfans]

The presence of dUTPase protein in ME/CFS patients was first brought to our attention by Dr Martin Lerner in a 2012 study.

Dr Martin Lerner theorized that herpesvirus ME/CFS is due to an abortive herpesvirus infection. An abortive infection is one which does not produce viral particles, but smolders away inside cells on a long-term basis.

One protein made in herpesvirus abortive viral infections, as well as in regular productive herpesvirus infections, is deoxyuridine triphosphatase (dUTPase), and this protein can be transmitted cell to cell via exosome transport. The dUTPase protein is known to induce ME/CFS-like symptoms. More info in this post.

Ohio State found around 31% to 53% of ME/CFS patients have high levels of antibodies to the dUTPase protein produced by EBV, HHV-6 and VZV. Ref: here and here. Ohio State believe dUTPase may be a biomarker in a subset of ME/CFS patients (presumably the herpesvirus subset).

So @Hip, in ME / CFS is it that we (or a subset) have high levels of the dUTPase protein AND antibodies to that protein? I’m just wondering why they decided to develop a test to look for antibodies instead of the protein itself...

 

[Hip]

So @Hip, in ME / CFS is it that we (or a subset) have high levels of the dUTPase protein AND antibodies to that protein?

Yes, the dUTPase they are detecting is a viral protein (though I believe humans also make a version of dUTPase), so it would be normal for the body to make antibodies against such foreign proteins deriving from pathogens.

I’m just wondering why they decided to develop a test to look for antibodies instead of the protein itself...

I don't really know. Possibly it is easier or more reliable to test for the antibodies.

 

[Bobby Peru]

Does COVID cause the same issues with abortive production? If so, perhaps massive funding is out there to investigate this theory due to COVID long-haulers.
If OSU developed a biomarker ... it adds credibility to Lerner's theory, IMHO.

 

[Pyrrhus]

Does COVID cause the same issues with abortive production?

If re-activation (or partial re-activation) of herpesviruses is a possible occurrence in chronic conditions such as Alzheimers, Gulf War Illness, and ME... then possibly, why not?

 

[Rufous McKinney]

If re-activation (or partial re-activation) of herpesviruses is a possible occurrence in chronic conditions such as Alzheimers, Gulf War Illness, and ME... then possibly, why not?

I just got very ill, as if I had the stomach flu, or prolonged food poisoning-for the ..oh 7 time in 3 years. And 2 bouts of the same exact thing changed me from mild ME to Mod Bad ME...3 years ago.

But I've been entirely sequestered and therefore, its impossible for these symptoms to be an actual flu I would have caught somehow (by never leaving my place, or seeing anyone,, by eating the same foods days on end...)

I now believe something reactivated, and I must be carrying it around all the time, and its not Eppstein Barr. (its affecting my stomach).