TY - JOUR T1 - Unravelling Intracellular Immune Dysfunctions in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Interactions between Protein Kinase R Activity, RNase L Cleavage and Elastase Activity, and their Clinical Relevance JF - In Vivo JO - In Vivo SP - 115 LP - 121 VL - 22 IS - 1 AU - MIRA MEEUS AU - JO NIJS AU - NEIL MCGREGOR AU - ROMAIN MEEUSEN AU - GUY DE SCHUTTER AU - STEVEN TRUIJEN AU - MARC FRÉMONT AU - ELKE VAN HOOF AU - KENNY DE MEIRLEIR Y1 - 2008/01/01 UR - http://iv.iiarjournals.org/content/22/1/115.abstract N2 - This study examined possible interactions between immunological abnormalities and symptoms in CFS. Sixteen CFS patients filled in a battery of questionnaires, evaluating daily functioning, and underwent venous blood sampling, in order to analyse immunological abnormalities. Ribonuclease (RNase) L cleavage was associated with RNase L activity (rs=0.570; p=0.021), protein kinase R (PKR) (rs=0.716; p=0.002) and elastase activity (rs=0.500; p=0.049). RNase L activity was related to elastase (rs=0.547; p=0.028) and PKR activity (rs=0.625; p=0.010). RNase L activity (rs=0.535; p=0.033), elastase activity (rs=0.585; p=0.017) and RNase L cleavage (rs=0.521; p=0.038) correlated with daily functioning. This study suggests that in CFS patients an increase in elastase activity and subsequent RNase L cleavage is accompanied by increased activity of both the PKR and RNase L enzymes. RNase L and elastase activity are related to daily functioning, thus evidence supporting the clinical importance of these immune dysfunctions in CFS patients was provided. Copyright © 2008 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved ER -