POSSIBLE UK BREAKTHROUGH

POSSIBLE UK BREAKTHROUGH IN FATIGUE ILLNESS

Category: Health London - 23 May 2006

Medical researchers at a leading UK hospital school believe they may be on
the brink of a significant discovery over Chronic Fatigue Syndrome,
following a mass study of genes in sufferers and in healthy people.

Chronic Fatigue syndrome is an illness that has been a medical mystery as
well as a disease that inflicts long term distress. In recent years research
has presented a better understanding of its cause and a British team of
scientists are on the brink of a significant discovery.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), also known as ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis)
has been controversial. It has sometimes been dismissed as imaginary. The British researchers have been conducting a mass study, comparing over 40,000 genes and variants in sufferers and healthy people.

Dr. Jonathan Kerr, principal investigator, St.George's Medical School:
"Four years ago we set out on this programme of research and we were
frustrated by the fact that chronic fatigue syndrome had been labelled as
possibly, "All in the mind" and we have shown that there are distinct
biological differences between patients and normal people."

They have used two separate techniques : examining the DNA of patients and
non-sufferers, the latter known as "Controls" while also studying the
protein samples from the two groups.

Results show striking differences that have led to a potential breakthrough.

Treatment could be based on immune therapy as well as finding a diagnostic
test across a broad range of proteins.
"We've shown that several hundred genes are very, very different between
patients and controls and we now must make sure that these are specific
differences to this disease and after that we can use that information to
design new treatments."

The next step is setting up clinical trials using beta interferon, a drug
used in the treatment of multiple sclerosis. This drug boosts the body's immune system, combating the viruses thought to be among the causes of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

A German company, Schering AG, is contributing supplies of the drug for this
project.

"We're in the process of collection of several thousand samples from
patients, normal people and other patients with control diseases such as
rheumatoid arthritis, for example, and we must test our gene signature in
all these groups to make sure it is specific."

Though they have received funding in the past, a fresh financial boost is
needed for this next stage. With further support, the researchers could make
a vital contribution to understanding and combating this debilitating
illness.
http://www.bsn.org.uk/view_all.php?id=11707