Role of mitochondrial DNA damage and dysfunction in veterans with Gulf War Illness.

Gulf War Illness (GWI) is a chronic multi-symptom illness not currently diagnosed by standard medical or laboratory test that affects 30% of veterans who served during the 1990-1991 Gulf War. The clinical presentation of GWI is comparable to that of patients with certain mitochondrial disorders-i.e....

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Main Authors: Yang Chen, Joel N Meyer, Helene Z Hill, Gudrun Lange, Michael R Condon, Jacquelyn C Klein, Duncan Ndirangu, Michael J Falvo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2017-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0184832&type=printable
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author Yang Chen
Joel N Meyer
Helene Z Hill
Gudrun Lange
Michael R Condon
Jacquelyn C Klein
Duncan Ndirangu
Michael J Falvo
author_facet Yang Chen
Joel N Meyer
Helene Z Hill
Gudrun Lange
Michael R Condon
Jacquelyn C Klein
Duncan Ndirangu
Michael J Falvo
author_sort Yang Chen
collection DOAJ
description Gulf War Illness (GWI) is a chronic multi-symptom illness not currently diagnosed by standard medical or laboratory test that affects 30% of veterans who served during the 1990-1991 Gulf War. The clinical presentation of GWI is comparable to that of patients with certain mitochondrial disorders-i.e., clinically heterogeneous multisystem symptoms. Therefore, we hypothesized that mitochondrial dysfunction may contribute to both the symptoms of GWI as well as its persistence over time. We recruited 21 cases of GWI (CDC and Kansas criteria) and 7 controls to participate in this study. Peripheral blood samples were obtained in all participants and a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR) based assay was performed to quantify mitochondrial and nuclear DNA lesion frequency and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number (mtDNAcn) from peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Samples were also used to analyze nuclear DNA lesion frequency and enzyme activity for mitochondrial complexes I and IV. Both mtDNA lesion frequency (p = 0.015, d = 1.13) and mtDNAcn (p = 0.001; d = 1.69) were elevated in veterans with GWI relative to controls. Nuclear DNA lesion frequency was also elevated in veterans with GWI (p = 0.344; d = 1.41), but did not reach statistical significance. Complex I and IV activity (p > 0.05) were similar between groups and greater mtDNA lesion frequency was associated with reduced complex I (r2 = -0.35, p = 0.007) and IV (r2 = -0.28, p < 0.01) enzyme activity. In conclusion, veterans with GWI exhibit greater mtDNA damage which is consistent with mitochondrial dysfunction.
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spelling doaj-art-69ac5875f505402c87bb99bc6e040f912025-08-20T03:04:36ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032017-01-01129e018483210.1371/journal.pone.0184832Role of mitochondrial DNA damage and dysfunction in veterans with Gulf War Illness.Yang ChenJoel N MeyerHelene Z HillGudrun LangeMichael R CondonJacquelyn C KleinDuncan NdiranguMichael J FalvoGulf War Illness (GWI) is a chronic multi-symptom illness not currently diagnosed by standard medical or laboratory test that affects 30% of veterans who served during the 1990-1991 Gulf War. The clinical presentation of GWI is comparable to that of patients with certain mitochondrial disorders-i.e., clinically heterogeneous multisystem symptoms. Therefore, we hypothesized that mitochondrial dysfunction may contribute to both the symptoms of GWI as well as its persistence over time. We recruited 21 cases of GWI (CDC and Kansas criteria) and 7 controls to participate in this study. Peripheral blood samples were obtained in all participants and a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (QPCR) based assay was performed to quantify mitochondrial and nuclear DNA lesion frequency and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number (mtDNAcn) from peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Samples were also used to analyze nuclear DNA lesion frequency and enzyme activity for mitochondrial complexes I and IV. Both mtDNA lesion frequency (p = 0.015, d = 1.13) and mtDNAcn (p = 0.001; d = 1.69) were elevated in veterans with GWI relative to controls. Nuclear DNA lesion frequency was also elevated in veterans with GWI (p = 0.344; d = 1.41), but did not reach statistical significance. Complex I and IV activity (p > 0.05) were similar between groups and greater mtDNA lesion frequency was associated with reduced complex I (r2 = -0.35, p = 0.007) and IV (r2 = -0.28, p < 0.01) enzyme activity. In conclusion, veterans with GWI exhibit greater mtDNA damage which is consistent with mitochondrial dysfunction.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0184832&type=printable
spellingShingle Yang Chen
Joel N Meyer
Helene Z Hill
Gudrun Lange
Michael R Condon
Jacquelyn C Klein
Duncan Ndirangu
Michael J Falvo
Role of mitochondrial DNA damage and dysfunction in veterans with Gulf War Illness.
PLoS ONE
title Role of mitochondrial DNA damage and dysfunction in veterans with Gulf War Illness.
title_full Role of mitochondrial DNA damage and dysfunction in veterans with Gulf War Illness.
title_fullStr Role of mitochondrial DNA damage and dysfunction in veterans with Gulf War Illness.
title_full_unstemmed Role of mitochondrial DNA damage and dysfunction in veterans with Gulf War Illness.
title_short Role of mitochondrial DNA damage and dysfunction in veterans with Gulf War Illness.
title_sort role of mitochondrial dna damage and dysfunction in veterans with gulf war illness
url https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0184832&type=printable
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