1
|
Komaroff AL, Lipkin WI. ME/CFS and Long COVID share similar symptoms and biological abnormalities: road map to the literature. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1187163. [PMID: 37342500 PMCID: PMC10278546 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1187163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 69.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Some patients remain unwell for months after "recovering" from acute COVID-19. They develop persistent fatigue, cognitive problems, headaches, disrupted sleep, myalgias and arthralgias, post-exertional malaise, orthostatic intolerance and other symptoms that greatly interfere with their ability to function and that can leave some people housebound and disabled. The illness (Long COVID) is similar to myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) as well as to persisting illnesses that can follow a wide variety of other infectious agents and following major traumatic injury. Together, these illnesses are projected to cost the U.S. trillions of dollars. In this review, we first compare the symptoms of ME/CFS and Long COVID, noting the considerable similarities and the few differences. We then compare in extensive detail the underlying pathophysiology of these two conditions, focusing on abnormalities of the central and autonomic nervous system, lungs, heart, vasculature, immune system, gut microbiome, energy metabolism and redox balance. This comparison highlights how strong the evidence is for each abnormality, in each illness, and helps to set priorities for future investigation. The review provides a current road map to the extensive literature on the underlying biology of both illnesses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anthony L. Komaroff
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - W. Ian Lipkin
- Center for Infection and Immunity, Mailman School of Public Health, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Hyams Y, Panov J, Rosner A, Brodsky L, Rinkevich Y, Rinkevich B. Transcriptome landscapes that signify Botrylloides leachi (Ascidiacea) torpor states. Dev Biol 2022; 490:22-36. [PMID: 35809632 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2022.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Harsh environments enforce the expression of behavioural, morphological, physiological, and reproductive rejoinders, including torpor. Here we study the morphological, cellular, and molecular alterations in torpor architype in the colonial urochordate Botrylloides aff. leachii by employing whole organism Transmission electron (TEM) and light microscope observations, RNA sequencing, real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) quantification of selected genes, and immunolocalization of WNT, SMAD and SOX2 gene expressions. On the morphological level, torpor starts with gradual regression of all zooids and buds which leaves the colony surviving as condensed vasculature remnants that may be 'aroused' to regenerate fully functional colonies upon changes in the environment. Simultaneously, we observed altered distributions of hemolymph cell types. Phagocytes doubled in number, while the number of morula cells declined by half. In addition, two new circulating cell types were observed, multi-nucleated and bacteria-bearing cells. RNA sequencing technology revealed marked differences in gene expression between different organism compartments and states: active zooids and ampullae, and between mid-torpor and naive colonies, or naive and torpid colonies. Gene Ontology term enrichment analyses further showed disparate biological processes. In torpid colonies, we observed overall 233 up regulated genes. These genes included NR4A2, EGR1, MUC5AC, HMCN2 and. Also, 27 transcription factors were upregulated in torpid colonies including ELK1, HDAC3, RBMX, MAZ, STAT1, STAT4 and STAT6. Interestingly, genes involved in developmental processes such as SPIRE1, RHOA, SOX11, WNT5A and SNX18 were also upregulated in torpid colonies. We further validated the dysregulation of 22 genes during torpor by utilizing qPCR. Immunohistochemistry of representative genes from three signaling pathways revealed high expression of these genes in circulated cells along torpor. WNT agonist administration resulted in early arousal from torpor in 80% of the torpid colonies while in active colonies WNT agonist triggered the torpor state. Abovementioned results thus connote unique transcriptome landscapes associated with Botrylloides leachii torpor.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yosef Hyams
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, P.O. Box 9753, Tel Shikmona, Haifa, 3109701, Israel; Marine Biology Department, Leon H. Charney School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, 31905, Israel.
| | - Julia Panov
- Tauber Bioinformatics Research Center, University of Haifa, Haifa, 31905, Israel; Sagol Department of Neurobiology, University of Haifa, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
| | - Amalia Rosner
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, P.O. Box 9753, Tel Shikmona, Haifa, 3109701, Israel
| | - Leonid Brodsky
- Tauber Bioinformatics Research Center, University of Haifa, Haifa, 31905, Israel
| | - Yuval Rinkevich
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center, Institute of Lung Biology and Disease, Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen, Max-Lebsche-Platz 31, 81377, München, Germany
| | - Baruch Rinkevich
- Israel Oceanographic and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, P.O. Box 9753, Tel Shikmona, Haifa, 3109701, Israel
| |
Collapse
|