Australian researchers examined circRNAs in people with ME/CFS before and after 2 exercise tests.
CircRNA plays a regulating role in gene expression, and an essential role in the process of biological development…, as well as a critical role in the diagnosis of diseases. Liu
“14 circRNAs were highly expressed in ME/CFS patients but absent in controls throughout the exercise study, indicating a unique molecular signature specific to ME/CFS patients and providing potential diagnostic biomarkers for the disease.”
A unique circular RNA expression pattern in the peripheral blood of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome patients, by Yuning Cheng, Si-Mei Xu, Konii Takenaka, Grace Lindner, Ashton Curry-Hyde, Michael Janitz in Gene Vol 877, 15 August 2023, 147568 [doi.org/10.1016/j.gene.2023.147568]
Research abstract:
Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a debilitating disease with obscure aetiology. The underdiagnosis rate of ME/CFS is high due to the lack of diagnostic criteria based on objective markers.
In recent years, circRNAs have emerged as potential genetic biomarkers for neurological diseases, including Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease, making them likely to have the same prospect of being biomarkers in ME/CFS. However, despite the extensive amount of research that has been performed on the transcriptomes of ME/CFS patients, all of them are solely focused on linear RNAs, and the profiling of circRNAs in ME/CFS has been completely omitted.
In this study, we investigated the expression profiles of circRNAs, comparing ME/CFS patients and controls before and after two sessions of cardiopulmonary exercise longitudinally.
In patients with ME/CFS, the number of detected circRNAs was higher compared to healthy controls, indicating potential differences in circRNA expression associated with the disease. Additionally, healthy controls showed an increase in the number of circRNAs following exercise testing, while no similar pattern was evident in ME/CFS patients, further highlighting physiological differences between the two groups.
A lack of correlation was observed between differentially expressed circRNAs and their corresponding coding genes in terms of expression and function, suggesting the potential of circRNAs as independent biomarkers in ME/CFS. Specifically, 14 circRNAs were highly expressed in ME/CFS patients but absent in controls throughout the exercise study, indicating a unique molecular signature specific to ME/CFS patients and providing potential diagnostic biomarkers for the disease.
Significant enrichment of protein and gene regulative pathways were detected in relation to five of these 14 circRNAs based on their predicted miRNA target genes. Overall, this is the first study to describe the circRNA expression profile in peripheral blood of ME/CFS patients, providing valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the disease.
Service development
life for ALL people affected by ME in Wales. We do this with a small number of people and a limited budget.
By asking your friends and family to donate to us instead of giving gifts at a birthday, Christmas, anniversary or wedding, you can enjoy your special day knowing you are making a real difference to the lives of people with ME/CFS.
They need tens of thousands of people to take part 
They have produced a list of drugs they believe are worth evaluating but only on strict subgroups of patients, defined by the WHO for PCS and the Canadian criteria for ME/CFS, using a consistent process.
Since the new NICE guideline for the diagnosis and management of ME/CFS was published in October 2021 WAMES has been asking the 7 Health Boards in Wales if they plan to implement the guideline and how they plan to improve care.
Plans are well underway to develop a Long Term Conditions service in the Cardiff and Vale area. A Co-production group of people interested in many long term conditions has been working on self-management tools such as the development of the 
Plans to extend the Long COVID service to other conditions are in the early stages but 2 staff members are actively investigating the best way to integrate ME/CFS services into that. They are also talking with WAMES and taking into account the results of engagement with patients in 2014-8.
