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Studying ME/CFS Pathogenesis via Cerebrospinal Fluid

STUDY AIM

The goal of this research is to reveal more information about the role of immunology and neuroinflammation in ME/CFS, and the underlying mechanisms of related pathogenesis that takes place.

LEAD INVESTIGATORS
  • Jonas Bergquist, MD, PhD
  • Christopher W. Armstrong, PhD
  • Kumari Ubhayasekera, PhD
  • Liudmyla Tsiukalo, PhD
  • Wenzhong Xiao, PhD
UPDATES AND POTENTIAL
  • Over 380 patients critically ill COVID patients enrolled with blood, urine, plasma samples collected for all, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for those with severe neurological onset early in the disease.
  • 1,100 proteins have been detected in CSF.
  • 150 metabolites have been detected in urine.
  • In parallel, plasma metabolomics data have been analyzed and resulted in close to 1,500 metabolites or metabolic ratios.
  • Manuscripts are in preparation.

STUDY HYPOTHESIS AND DESCRIPTION

  • Underlying pathological mechanisms of ME/CFS are to a large extent unknown, but the presence of autoantibodies, cytokine pattern deviations and the presentation of cognitive and autonomic nervous system related symptoms indicate the role of immunology and neuroinflammation in the pathogenesis of the disease. 
  • Studying cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) could specifically provide information of the pathological processes occurring in the central nervous system.

 

OBJECTIVES

  • Collect CSF and plasma from ME/CFS patients.
  • Conduct in-house quantitative proteomics and metabolomics analysis.
  • Share data with collaborative groups that want to analyze the CSF more in detail.
  • Collect CSF and plasma from people with other neurological diseases (including Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, Herpes Simplex Encephalopathy,  Neuro-covid etc) and compare to ME/CFS.