Med Hypotheses 1999 Oct;53(4):347-9
Competition for glutathione precursors between the immune
system and the skeletal muscle: pathogenesis of chronic fatigue
syndromE
Bounous G, Molson
J
Department of Surgery, McGill University, and Medical Research Council
of Canada.
The chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is typically associated or
follows a recognized or presumed infection. Abnormalities of both humoral and
cellular immunity have been demonstrated in a substantial proportion of patients
with CFS. The most consistent findings are of impaired lymphocyte responses to
mitogen. As an antioxidant, glutathione (GSH) is essential for allowing the
lymphocyte to express its full potential without being hampered by oxiradical
accumulation. Hence, protracted challenge of the immunocytes may lead to
cellular GSH depletion. Because GSH is also essential to aerobic muscular
contraction, an undesirable competition for GSH precursors between the immune
and muscular systems may develop. It is conceivable that the priority of the
immune system for the survival of the host has drawn to this vital area the
ever-diminishing GSH precursors, thus depriving the skeletal muscle of adequate
GSH precursors to sustain a normal aerobic metabolism resulting in fatigue and
eventually myalgia.
PMID: 10608272
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