# Scientists "unlock ME genetics"



## M&M (Jan 20, 2002)

Posted to the Co-Cure Mailing List:*********************************************Scientists 'unlock ME genetics'Scientists have identified thousands of genes which appear to play a role inchronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).A team from Glasgow University found a particular pattern of geneticactivity among 50 people with the condition.They hope their work, which is still in its early stages, could lead to adiagnostic test and new treatments.CFS - or myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) - used to be dismissed as "yuppieflu" and has been widely recognised as a disease only in recent years.Gene signatureLead researcher Dr John Gow said: "It is another year's development beforeit becomes an accepted diagnostic test and, similarly, we need to do sometrials with therapy before that becomes widely available. But it isexciting."By looking at the whole genome of about 50 people with chronic fatiguesyndrome, they discovered certain genes that were different to those seen inhealthy people of a similar age and sex. We think we can find drug treatments that will be beneficial to patientsDr GowDr Gow said: "We have identified genes which were up-regulated compared withgenes in normal healthy individuals, suggesting we could possibly have adiagnostic test for this syndrome which doesn't exist at the moment."But he said they needed to check that this "gene signature" was specific forchronic fatigue syndrome by looking at more people with the condition, whichwould take a year or so.Colleagues at the same university are also looking at targeting treatmentstowards the faulty biochemical pathways caused by the overactive genes inchronic fatigue syndrome.Future hopeThese drugs are already on the market for other conditions, so if they areproved to be useful in chronic fatigue syndrome, they could be given topatients in the near future."Our work has given us clues as to which pathways are up- or down-regulatedand we know which drugs activate different pathways, so we think we can finddrug treatments that will be beneficial to patients," Dr Gow said."Having said that, it really needs to go through proper trials before thesedrugs become widely available."A spokesman from Action for ME said: "We are very interested to know andexplore more."He said it was good that work such as this was being carried out intochronic fatigue syndrome.Story from BBC NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/health/4580051.stmPublished: 2005/05/28 23:04:17 GMTC BBC MMV


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