Gulf war illness: a tale of two genomes 2024 Golomb et al

Abstract

Introduction
Gulf War illness (GWI) is an environmentally-triggered chronic multisymptom illness typified by protean symptoms, in which mitochondrial impairment is evident. It has been likened to accelerated aging. Nuclear genetics of detoxification have been linked to GWI.

Objective
To see whether mitochondrial (mt) haplogroup U – a heritable profile of mitochondrial DNA that has been tied to aging-related conditions – significantly predicts greater GWI severity; and to assess whether GWI severity is influenced by mitochondrial as well as nuclear genetics. 54 consenting Gulf War veterans gave information on GWI severity, of whom 52 had nuclear DNA assessment; and 45 had both nuclear and mitochondrial DNA assessments. Regression with robust standard errors assessed prediction of GWI severity as a function of nuclear genetics (butyrylcholinesterase variants), mitochondrial genetics (haplogroup U, previously tied to aging-related conditions); or both.

Results
BChE “adverse” variants significantly predicted GWI severity (β(SE) = 23.4(11.4), p = 0.046), as did mt haplogroup U (β(SE) = 36.4(13.6), p = 0.010). In a model including both, BChE was no longer significant, but mt haplogroup U retained significance (β(SE) = 36.7(13.0), p = 0.007). This is the first study to show that mitochondrial genetics are tied to GWI severity in Gulf-deployed veterans. Other data affirm a tie to nuclear genetics, making GWI indeed a “tale of two genomes.”

Open access, https://bmcresnotes.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13104-024-06871-z

 

I don't know if Decode ME scope includes these genes - it would be interesting to see if there's any similarity .


" Gulf War illness (GWI), a chronic fatigue condition affecting veterans, is linked to genetic variants in mitochondrial DNA. These variants, inherited through the maternal line, appear to predispose some individuals to more severe symptoms of GWI after exposure to environmental toxins.

The study suggests that mitochondrial dysfunction, rather than inflammation, is the primary driver of the illness. These findings may also have broader implications for understanding other diseases with environmental triggers, such as Parkinson’s disease."

https://neurosciencenews.com/mitochondrial-dna-gulf-war-illness-27702/

Paper
https://bmcresnotes.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13104-024-06871-z

 

Mitochondrial DNA variants correlate with symptoms in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, 2016, Billing-Ross et al

 

MtDNA population variation in Myalgic encephalomyelitis/Chronic fatigue syndrome in two populations: a study of mildly deleterious variants, 2019, Venter et al

 

BChE being discussed in the recent Ponting paper thread: