A role of microbiome in the pathogenesis of ME/CFS: a population-based study

The gut microbiome is involved in regulating various functions in the body and it influences both the immune system and brain function. There is evidence that the gut microbiome plays a role in the development of ME/CFS. These indications come from previous studies, but these studies had few participants, lasted only for a short period or had other limitations. More knowledge about the gut microbiome composition of ME/CFS patients could provide new insights into the onset of this disease, and potentially contribute to better diagnosis and the development of microbiome-targeted treatments for ME/CFS. The aim of this project is to identify specific patterns in the microbiome of ME/CFS patients.

The researchers in this project will map the gut microbiome of 900 ME/CFS patients, and use available data on gut microbiome of 8,000 individuals without ME/CFS. These individuals are taking part in the Lifelines study, in which information is also available on the diet, lifestyle and any medications the participants are taking. All this may affect their gut microbiome.

The study is being done in collaboration with ME/CFS Lines. This is a multidisciplinary consortium with biobank to find the cause of ME/CFS. Within the research, the different departments of the UMCG (Genetics, Groningen Microbiome Centre, Internal Medicine/Endocrinology, Pathology & Medical Biology) and the Medizinische Universität Wien collaborate. Pluut&Partners is a consulting agency that will help us reach patients and disseminate the results and knowledge gained from our research. Patient representatives from ME/CVS Nederland were closely involved in drafting the research proposal. They will remain involved throughout the project: exchange views on research questions, interim findings, progress and the final interpretation and utilization of the research results. The patient representatives involved will be paid for their efforts.

In this research project, the aim is to investigate the role of the gut microbiome in the development of ME/CFS, using state-of-the-art methods for microbiome data analysis and machine learning. The researchers aim to provide more insight into the mechanism of onset of ME/CFS, and the role of the microbiome. This may contribute to a better diagnosis of ME/CFS and new leads for microbiome-targeted treatments for ME/CFS.

Extensive collaborations and Open Science are essential in research. Therefore, all outcomes will be published in an accessible manner. This research follows FAIR principles and ethical standards with regards to privacy and well-being of patients and participants