Immune system

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis is a complex multi-systemic disorder which causes neurological impairments, energy metabolism/ion transport dysfunction, and immune, gastro-intestinal and/or genito-urinary symptoms.

The immune system is primarily formed by the innate immune system which we are born with, and the adaptive immune system which learns how to fight pathogens (for example from vaccines, or infections we contract).

Immune system symptoms
Symptoms related to M.E. include:
 * Flu-like symptoms (sore throat, sinus inflammation, lymph node changes) that typically begin or worsens with exertion, for instance as part of Post-Exertional Malaise
 * Increased risk of contacting viruses, which last for a prolonged time
 * Gastro-intestinal problems, which may include nausea, abdominal bloating, or Irritable Bowel Syndrome
 * Needing to urinate either more urgently or more frequently, sometimes at night (nocturia)
 * New sensitivities to smells, chemicals, or medication; food or alcohol intolerances

Innate immune system
Innate immune system

Barriers
Mucosal immune system

Adaptive immune system
Adaptive immune system

Autoimmunity
ME/CFS patients have anti-cholinergic muscarinic, Β-adrenergic, phosphatidylinositol and serotonin antibodies when compared to healthy controls.

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
There is evidence of immune dysregulation in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis.

Reduced natural killer cell function.

Elevated regulatory T cells

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ME/CFS page: "Immune system abnormalities – some people with ME/CFS have impaired natural killer cell function and/or T cell function, chronic higher production of inflammatory cytokines, and in some cases slight increase in some autoantibodies (rheumatic factor, anti-thyroid antibodies, anti-gliadin, anti-smooth muscle antibodies, and cold agglutinins)."

Fibromyalgia
In 2018, Zhang et al. research found inflammatory genes were involved in FM. Their paper SNPs in inflammatory genes CCL11, CCL4 and MEFV in a fibromyalgia family study concluded: "SNPs with significant TDTs were found in 36% of the cohort for CCL11 and 12% for MEFV, along with a protein variant in CCL4 (41%) that affects CCR5 down-regulation, supporting an immune involvement for FM."There is ongoing immune system research of fibromyalgia.

Learn more

 * Crash Course - The Immune System Part 1 (Adaptive immune system)
 * Crash Course - The Immune System Part 2 (humoral immunity & B cells)
 * Crash Course - The Immune System Part 3 (cell-mediated immunity & T cells)