Research abstract

We studied cytokine production in 15 patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and 23 controls. CFS patients’ peripheral blood mononuclear cells were cultured with lipopolysaccharide or phytohemagglutinin. Enzymatic immunoassay indicated cytokine concentration in culture supernatants.

CFS patients showed significantly lower mRNA levels and
transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-b1) production. Cytokine dysregulation affects CFS pathogenesis. TGF-b1 may aid
treatment because it affects CFS inflammatory characteristic.

Cytokine production and modulation: Comparison of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome and normal controls by Akemi Tomoda, Takako Joudoi, El-Mezayen Rabab, Tomoaki Matsumoto, T.H. Park, Teruhisa Miike in Psychiatry Research 134 (2005)