{"id":28296,"date":"2025-08-12T16:30:58","date_gmt":"2025-08-12T16:30:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/?p=28296"},"modified":"2025-08-12T16:31:00","modified_gmt":"2025-08-12T16:31:00","slug":"breakthrough-study-identifies-key-biomarkers-for-chronic-fatigue-syndrome","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/breakthrough-study-identifies-key-biomarkers-for-chronic-fatigue-syndrome\/","title":{"rendered":"Breakthrough Study Identifies Key Biomarkers for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-blockquote uagb-block-e7eb3fc3 uagb-blockquote__skin-border uagb-blockquote__stack-img-none\"><blockquote class=\"uagb-blockquote\"><div class=\"uagb-blockquote__content\">Cornell University researchers have discovered a method to identify biomarkers for chronic fatigue syndrome, a breakthrough that could lead to the first reliable diagnostic tests for the complex disease.<\/div><footer><div class=\"uagb-blockquote__author-wrap uagb-blockquote__author-at-left\"><\/div><\/footer><\/blockquote><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-content-justification-space-between is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-0dfbf163 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\"><div style=\"font-size:16px;\" class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-post-author\"><div class=\"wp-block-post-author__content\"><p class=\"wp-block-post-author__name\">The University Network<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share uagb-social-share__outer-wrap uagb-social-share__layout-horizontal uagb-block-ee584a31\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-ec619ce7\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"facebook\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path d=\"M504 256C504 119 393 8 256 8S8 119 8 256c0 123.8 90.69 226.4 209.3 245V327.7h-63V256h63v-54.64c0-62.15 37-96.48 93.67-96.48 27.14 0 55.52 4.84 55.52 4.84v61h-31.28c-30.8 0-40.41 19.12-40.41 38.73V256h68.78l-11 71.69h-57.78V501C413.3 482.4 504 379.8 504 256z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-32d99934\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/share?url=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"twitter\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 512 512\"><path d=\"M389.2 48h70.6L305.6 224.2 487 464H345L233.7 318.6 106.5 464H35.8L200.7 275.5 26.8 48H172.4L272.9 180.9 389.2 48zM364.4 421.8h39.1L151.1 88h-42L364.4 421.8z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-uagb-social-share-child uagb-ss-repeater uagb-ss__wrapper uagb-block-1d136f14\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__link\" data-href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/shareArticle?url=\" tabindex=\"0\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"linkedin\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-wrap\"><span class=\"uagb-ss__source-icon\"><svg xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 448 512\"><path d=\"M416 32H31.9C14.3 32 0 46.5 0 64.3v383.4C0 465.5 14.3 480 31.9 480H416c17.6 0 32-14.5 32-32.3V64.3c0-17.8-14.4-32.3-32-32.3zM135.4 416H69V202.2h66.5V416zm-33.2-243c-21.3 0-38.5-17.3-38.5-38.5S80.9 96 102.2 96c21.2 0 38.5 17.3 38.5 38.5 0 21.3-17.2 38.5-38.5 38.5zm282.1 243h-66.4V312c0-24.8-.5-56.7-34.5-56.7-34.6 0-39.9 27-39.9 54.9V416h-66.4V202.2h63.7v29.2h.9c8.9-16.8 30.6-34.5 62.9-34.5 67.2 0 79.7 44.3 79.7 101.9V416z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Through innovative use of machine learning and RNA analysis, Cornell University researchers have discovered a method to identify biomarkers for myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME\/CFS).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The study, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pnas.org\/doi\/10.1073\/pnas.2507345122\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">published<\/a> on Aug. 11 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, offers a promising new approach to diagnosing a debilitating disease that has been difficult to diagnose, as its symptoms are often mistaken for those of other conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By analyzing cell-free RNA found in blood plasma, the research team, led by Anne Gardella, a doctoral student in biochemistry, molecular and cell biology in the\u00a0De Vlaminck Lab, pinpointed unique biomarkers that could distinguish ME\/CFS patients from healthy individuals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBy reading the molecular fingerprints that cells leave behind in blood, we\u2019ve taken a concrete step toward a test for ME\/CFS,\u201d co-senior author Iwijn De Vlaminck, an associate professor of biomedical engineering in Cornell Engineering, said in a news release. \u201cThis study shows that a tube of blood can provide clues about the disease\u2019s biology.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Collaborative Breakthrough<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The project was a collaborative effort between the labs of De Vlaminck and co-senior author Maureen Hanson, the Liberty Hyde Bailey Professor in the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hanson, who directs the Cornell Center for Enervating NeuroImmune Disease, emphasized the systemic nature of ME\/CFS, noting that it affects the nervous, immune and cardiovascular systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cME\/CFS affects a lot of different parts of the body,\u201d Hanson added.  \u201cAnalyzing plasma gives you access to what\u2019s going on in those different parts.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are no specific lab tests for diagnosing ME\/CFS, so doctors must base their diagnosis on a combination of symptoms, including fatigue, dizziness, sleep disturbances and &#8220;brain fog.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe problem is a lot of the symptoms that a patient might come to a primary care physician complaining about could be many different things,\u201d added Hanson. \u201cAnd what that primary care physician would really like to have would be a blood test.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Identifying Key Biomarkers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Using blood samples from ME\/CFS patients and a control group of healthy, albeit sedentary, individuals, the team spun down the blood plasma to isolate and sequence the RNA molecules released during cellular damage and death. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They identified over 700 significantly different transcripts and used machine-learning algorithms to develop a tool that revealed signs of immune system dysregulation, extracellular matrix disorganization and T cell exhaustion in ME\/CFS patients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe identified six cell types that were significantly different between ME\/CFS cases and controls,\u201d added Gardella. \u201cThe topmost elevated cell type in patients is the plasmacytoid dendritic cell. These are immune cells that are involved in producing type 1 interferons, which could indicate an overactive or prolonged antiviral immune response in patients. We also observed differences in monocytes, platelets and other T cell subsets, pointing to broad immune dysregulation in ME\/CFS patients.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The cell-free RNA classifier models showed a 77% accuracy rate in detecting ME\/CFS \u2014 not yet sufficient for a diagnostic test but a considerable advancement in the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Broader Implications<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The implications of this research extend beyond ME\/CFS. The team hopes this method could also help differentiate ME\/CFS from long COVID, another condition that has garnered renewed interest in infection-associated chronic conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhile long COVID has raised awareness of infection-associated chronic conditions, it\u2019s important to recognize ME\/CFS, because it\u2019s actually more common and more severe than many people might realize,\u201d Gardella added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:15px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Source:<\/strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/news.cornell.edu\/stories\/2025\/08\/researchers-identify-key-biomarkers-chronic-fatigue-syndrome\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Cornell University<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Through innovative use of machine learning and RNA analysis, Cornell University researchers have discovered a method to identify biomarkers for myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME\/CFS). The study, published on Aug. 11 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, offers a promising new approach to diagnosing a debilitating disease that has [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"single-no-separators","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[208],"class_list":["post-28296","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-science","tag-cornell-university"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"The University Network","author_link":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/author\/funky_junkie\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Through innovative use of machine learning and RNA analysis, Cornell University researchers have discovered a method to identify biomarkers for myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME\/CFS). The study, published on Aug. 11 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, offers a promising new approach to diagnosing a debilitating disease that has&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28296","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28296"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28296\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28319,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28296\/revisions\/28319"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28296"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28296"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.tun.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28296"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}