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Boruch AE, Lindheimer JB, Ninneman JV, Wylie GR, Alexander T, Klein-Adams JC, Stegner AJ, Gretzon NP, Samy B, Falvo MJ, Cook DB. Exercise-induced changes in gene expression do not mediate post exertional malaise in Gulf War illness. Brain Behav Immun Health 2023; 29:100612. [PMID: 36950022 PMCID: PMC10027470 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2023.100612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Post-exertional malaise (PEM) is considered a characteristic feature of chronic multi-symptom illnesses (CMI) like Gulf War illness (GWI); however, its pathophysiology remains understudied. Previous investigations in other CMI populations (i.e., Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) have reported associations between PEM and expression of genes coding for adrenergic, metabolic, and immune function. Objectives To investigate whether PEM is meditated by gene expression in Veterans with GWI. Methods Veterans with GWI (n = 37) and healthy control Gulf War Veterans (n = 25) provided blood samples before and after 30-min of cycling at 70% of age-predicted heart rate reserve. Relative quantification of gene expression, symptom measurements, and select cardiopulmonary parameters were compared between groups at pre-, 30 minpost-, and 24 hpost-exercise using a doubly multivariate repeated measures analysis of variance (RM-MANOVA). Mediation analyses were used to test indirect effects of changes in gene expression on symptom responses (i.e., PEM) to the standardized exercise challenge. Results Veterans with GWI experienced large symptom exacerbations following exercise compared to controls (Cohen's d: 1.65; p < 0.05). Expression of β -actin (ACTB), catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) decreased in Veterans with GWI at 30 min (p < 0.05) and 24 h post-exercise (p < 0.05). Changes in gene expression did not mediate post-exercise symptom exacerbation in GWI (Indirect Effect Slope Coefficient: 0.06 - 0.02; 95% CI: 0.19, 0.12). Conclusion An acute bout of moderate intensity cycling reduced the expression of select structural, adrenergic, and immune genes in Veterans with GWI, but the pathophysiological relevance to PEM is unclear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander E. Boruch
- William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Jacob B. Lindheimer
- William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Jacob V. Ninneman
- William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Glenn R. Wylie
- War Related Illness and Injury Study Center, Department of Veterans Affairs New Jersey Health Care System, East Orange, NJ, USA
- Kessler Foundation, West Orange, NJ, USA
- New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Thomas Alexander
- War Related Illness and Injury Study Center, Department of Veterans Affairs New Jersey Health Care System, East Orange, NJ, USA
| | - Jacquelyn C. Klein-Adams
- War Related Illness and Injury Study Center, Department of Veterans Affairs New Jersey Health Care System, East Orange, NJ, USA
| | - Aaron J. Stegner
- William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Nicholas P. Gretzon
- William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Bishoy Samy
- War Related Illness and Injury Study Center, Department of Veterans Affairs New Jersey Health Care System, East Orange, NJ, USA
| | - Michael J. Falvo
- War Related Illness and Injury Study Center, Department of Veterans Affairs New Jersey Health Care System, East Orange, NJ, USA
- New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Dane B. Cook
- William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Kinesiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Corresponding author. Medical Sciences Center, 1300 University Avenue, Room 335, Madison, WI, 53706, USA.
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Sullivan K, O’Callaghan JP. Advancing the Role of Neuroimmunity and Genetic Susceptibility in Gulf War Illness. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12081068. [PMID: 36009131 PMCID: PMC9405771 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12081068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly Sullivan
- Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany St. T4W, Boston, MA 02118, USA
- Correspondence: (K.S.); (J.P.O.)
| | - James P. O’Callaghan
- Molecular Neurotoxicology Laboratory, Toxicology and Molecular Biology Branch, Health Effects Laboratory Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-NIOSH, 1000 Frederick Lane, Morgantown, WV 26508, USA
- Correspondence: (K.S.); (J.P.O.)
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