Genetics of COVID-19 and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome: a systematic review 2022 Tziastoudi et al

Abstract

COVID-19 and ME/CFS present with some similar symptoms, especially physical and mental fatigue. In order to understand the basis of these similarities and the possibility of underlying common genetic components, we performed a systematic review of all published genetic association and cohort studies regarding COVID-19 and ME/CFS and extracted the genes along with the genetic variants investigated. We then performed gene ontology and pathway analysis of those genes that gave significant results in the individual studies to yield functional annotations of the studied genes using protein analysis through evolutionary relationships (PANTHER) VERSION 17.0 software. Finally, we identified the common genetic components of these two conditions.

Seventy-one studies for COVID-19 and 26 studies for ME/CFS were included in the systematic review in which the expression of 97 genes for COVID-19 and 429 genes for ME/CFS were significantly affected. We found that ACE, HLA-A, HLA-C, HLA-DQA1, HLA-DRB1, and TYK2 are the common genes that gave significant results. The findings of the pathway analysis highlight the contribution of inflammation mediated by chemokine and cytokine signaling pathways, and the T cell activation and Toll receptor signaling pathways. Protein class analysis revealed the contribution of defense/immunity proteins, as well as protein-modifying enzymes. Our results suggest that the pathogenesis of both syndromes could involve some immune dysfunction.

Open access, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/acn3.51631

 

Here's a summary of the genes found to be involved in both Covid-19 and ME/CFS:

• Angiotensin I-converting enzyme: Produces a hormone that constricts blood vessels, but has shown up in genetic studies of numerous other diseases.
• Multiple major histocompatibility complex genes: Codes for proteins that your cells use to signal to the immune system that they're your cells, thus not to attack them
  
• Tyrosine kinase 2: Is part of the cytokine signalling system, which regulates the immune system among other tasks.

For ME/CFS in general, they found a mix of genes that doesn't point to one particular body system. There are genes that affect the immune system, hormones, metabolism, and nervous system. It all feels like a tangled mess. If everything pointed to one bodily system, it would feel like a lightbulb moment, but this seems to induce more head-scratching than everything. It seems like there's an emphasis on the immune system overall though. Hopefully DecodeME will point us in a more definite direction.