Up-regulation of TGF-ß1 mRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: It has been shown that the abnormality in immune cells in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) patients is closely associated with the participation of TGF-ß. In order to study the relationship between TGF-ß1 and CFS, we investigated the mRNA levels of TGF-ß1 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in patients with CFS. METHODS: Fluorescent quantitative real time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (FQ-RT-PCR) was performed to test TGF-ß1 mRNA expression in PBMCs in 63 cases of CFS, 50 cases of disease controls, and 50 cases of healthy controls. RESULTS: The mean value of TGF-ß1 mRNA expression in CFS patients was ΔΔCt=1.17±0.58, which was significantly higher than the disease controls (ΔΔCt=0.07±1.08, df=111, p < 0.01) and the healthy controls (ΔΔCt=0.00±1.63, df=111, p < 0.01). No significant difference was detected between disease and healthy controls (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The expression of TGF-ß1 in PBMCs is significantly elevated in patients with CFS. It might be correlated to the pathogenesis of the disease.