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Use of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to distinguish gene expression subtypes of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME)
  1. Nana Shimosako1,
  2. Jonathan R Kerr1,2
  1. 1CFS Group, Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine, St George's University of London, London, UK
  2. 2Escuela de Medicina y Ciencias de Salud, Universidad del Rosario, Bogota, Colombia
  1. Correspondence to Dr Jonathan R Kerr, Escuela de Medicina y Ciencias de Salud, Universidad del Rosario, Quinta de Mutis, Bogota 111221, Colombia; jonathan{at}ssl-mail.com

Abstract

Aims We have reported gene expression changes in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME) and the fact that such gene expression data can be used to identify subtypes of CFS/ME with distinct clinical phenotypes. Due to the difficulties in using a comparative gene expression method as an aid to CFS/ME disease and subtype-specific diagnosis, we have attempted to develop such a method based on single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis.

Methods To identify SNP allele associations with CFS/ME and CFS/ME subtypes, we tested genomic DNA of patients with CFS/ME (n=108), patients with endogenous depression (n=17) and normal blood donors (n=68) for 504 human SNP alleles located within 88 CFS-associated human genes using the SNP Genotyping GoldenGate Assay (Illumina, San Diego, California, USA). 360 ancestry informative markers (AIM) were also examined.

Results 21 SNPs were significantly associated with CFS/ME compared with depression and normal groups. 148 SNP alleles had a significant association with one or more CFS/ME subtypes. For each subtype, associated SNPs tended to be grouped together within particular genes. AIM SNPs indicated that 4 subjects were of Asian origin while the remainder were Caucasian. Hierarchical clustering of AIM data revealed the relatedness between 2 couples of patients with CFS only and confirmed the overall heterogeneity of all subjects.

Conclusions This study provides evidence that human SNPs located within CFS/ME associated genes are associated with particular genomic subtypes of CFS/ME. Further work is required to develop this into a clinically useful subtype-specific diagnostic test.

  • GENETICS
  • BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
  • EPIDEMIOLOGY

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