The chronic fatigue syndrome ME/CFS significantly impairs the quality of life of those affected, but has so far been difficult to diagnose. Now a study shows that an ion channel in the immune cells of those affected does not function properly. This finding opens the possibility for new diagnostic tests that can reliably identify the disease. The study also provides new insights into the biological mechanisms underlying the syndrome, which is often dismissed as psychosomatic. This could also pave the way for new treatments.
Those who suffer from ME/CFS (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) usually feel permanently exhausted. This is often accompanied by a range of other symptoms, including feeling unwell after even the slightest exertion, pain in various parts of the body, cognitive difficulties, dizziness, sensory sensitivity and sharply fluctuating body temperature. A normal everyday life is no longer possible for many of those affected. However, years can pass before a correct diagnosis is made; The symptoms are often classified as psychosomatic. As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of ME/CFS cases has risen sharply. But other causes can also lead to the disease, although the mechanism of the disease is still unclear.
Ion channel on immune cells in focus
“ME/CFS has a profound impact on quality of life, but the pathomechanism remains elusive and diagnostic tests or evidence-based treatments are lacking,” explains a team led by Etianne Sasso from Griffith University in Australia. To change that, the researchers examined blood samples from 36 people with ME/CFS and 42 healthy sufferers for differences. To do this, Sasso and her colleagues isolated natural killer cells, a group of immune cells, from the samples and focused on an ion channel called transient receptor potential melastatin 3 (TRPM3), which had previously been suspected to be linked to the disease.
And indeed: “The function of TRPM3 ion channels was significantly reduced in the natural killer cells of people with ME/CFS,” reports the research team. The ion channel is primarily responsible for calcium transport. “If it fails, the cells cannot function properly because calcium signals are essential for healthy immune cell activity,” explains Sasso’s colleague Sonya Marshall-Gradisnik. “Our results provide clear and unequivocal scientific evidence that TRPM3 ion channels are not functioning properly in people with ME/CFS.”
New approaches to diagnostics and therapy
To confirm the results, the researchers carried out the tests in several independent laboratories, which all came to the same result. “This confirms TRPM3 as a consistent biomarker for ME/CFS,” the team writes. In the future, tests for the functionality of the ion channel could help diagnose the disease and provide security for both those affected and medical professionals. In addition, the ion channel could be a potential starting point for new treatments that improve cell function and the general quality of life of those affected.
“This research provides concrete biological evidence that confirms what patients have been describing for decades,” says physician Peter Smith, who himself treats people with ME/CFS. “Knowing measurable cellular dysfunction helps us recognize ME/CFS as a legitimate disease and increases confidence in patient care.”
Source: Etianne Sasso (Griffith University, Queensland, Australia), Frontiers in Medicine, doi: 10.3389/fmed.2025.1703924