Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Genes, and Infection: The Eta-1/Op Paradigm [Paperback]

Roberto Patarca-Montero (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 25, 2003 | ISBN-10: 0789017946 | ISBN-13: 978-0789017949 | Edition: 1

Examine the role the Eta-1/Op gene may play in uncovering the cause of CFS!

Current research indicates that chronic fatigue syndrome may have an infectious etiology and that genetic factors might determine a body's ability to overcome or fall victim to a chronic infection. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Genes, and Infection: The Eta-1/Op Paradigm focuses on the Early T lymphocyte activation-1/osteopontin gene (Eta-1/Op), a cytokine that offers natural resistance to bacteria, and viruses that may play a role in the suspected link between microbial infections and CFS. Written by one of the leading experts in the field, the book details the historical, clinical, and scientific aspects of Eta-1/Op and its relationship to infectious agents such as Rickettsia.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Genes, and Infection: The Eta-1/Op Paradigm centers on research triggered by the high percentage of CFS patients who associate the onset of the disorder with an apparently infectious illness. This unique book addresses the role of Eta-1/Op as part of a genetic program of cellular immunity that may help in the etiopathogenesis and treatment of CFS. It also presents information on the structure and regulation of the Eta-1/Op gene and protein, and the biological activities of Eta-1/Op in nonimmunological bodily systems and pathologies.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Genes, and Infection: The Eta-1/Op Paradigm includes vital information on the Eta-1/Op gene's relationship to:

• flaviviruses and herpesviruses
• mycobacterial infections and HIV infection
• autoimmune disease
• cell-cell communication
• cellular motility
• the regulation of phosphate and calcium metabolism
• and much more!

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Genes, and Infection: The Eta-1/Op Paradigm is an important addition to the continuing effort to unravel the pathogenesis of this crippling disorder. The book is an essential resource for healthcare professionals working with CFS patients and for the biomedical community as a whole.

Product Details

• Paperback: 254 pages
• Publisher: Informa Healthcare; 1 edition (September 25, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789017946
• ISBN-13: 978-0789017949
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,643,963 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars A good summary of the research on osteopontin, but not particularly relevant to ME/CFS, November 15, 2009

By 

e. verrillo (williamsburg, ma) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Genes, and Infection: The Eta-1/Op Paradigm (Hardcover)

The title of Patarca-Montero's book is somewhat misleading, because there is, to date, no evidence that ME/CFS is associated with a decreased expression of Eta-1/Op, better known as osteopontin. (A far more accurate title would have been: The Eta-1/Op Paradigm: Genes, Infection and the Immune System.) Osteopontin is a cytokine that promotes cellular immunity, the part of the immune system that attacks viruses and other organisms that invade host cells. Patarca's theory is that due to the shift from cellular (Th1) to humoral (Th2) immunity in ME/CFS (a shift that allows for viral re-activation) there is sufficient reason to believe osteopontin might play an important role in the pathogenesis of ME/CFS.

Patarca-Montero cites an impressive number of studies concerning osteopontin, detailing its myriad effects on bone, skin, joint, renal, cardiac, GI, pulmonary, nervous and auditory systems. In spite of its near omnipresence in the human body, osteopontin is primarily expressed in the gut. (This should not come as a surprise given the gut's pivotal role in immune system activity.) Osteopontin, because of its ability to activate inflammatory T-cells, and due to its primary site of expression, has been implicated in inflammatory conditions of the gut, such as Crohn's disease and IBD. It is also expressed in cancers of the bowel and stomach, leading some researchers to suggest that elevated osteopontin levels may serve as a reliable indicator for these conditions. The (unanswered) question is: How do the functions of osteopontin apply to CFS?

In science, there is a world of difference between a hypothesis that is supported by a little evidence, and a hypothesis that is supported by none. While this book would certainly serve as a valuable resource for anyone researching osteopontin, it has little application for ME/CFS. There are no studies linking this cytokine with CFS symptoms or with its cause. It can't be used as a marker, because it is ubiquitous. Nor is it useful as a treatment, as many ME/CFS patients already suffer from comorbid inflammatory conditions. (Besides, the idea that you can "shift" the immune system from one type to another is highly problematic, as the two systems overlap.) I'm afraid that when it comes to CFS, Patarca's Eta-1/Op paradigm, like so many theories about this complex illness, is a dead end.