DNA Methylation Changes Link Long COVID to Chronic Fatigue in New Study by New Zealand Scientists
Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Jul 11, 2025 6 hours, 50 minutes ago
Thailand Medical News: Long COVID and Chronic Fatigue May Share the Same Biological Roots
In a groundbreaking study from researchers at the University of Otago in New Zealand, new insights have emerged into how Long COVID and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) may be biologically connected. Both conditions, which often leave patients struggling with crushing fatigue, brain fog, and pain, share over 95% of reported symptoms. However, until now, the biological link between them remained unclear.
DNA Methylation Changes Link Long COVID to Chronic Fatigue in New Study by New Zealand Scientists
This
Thailand Medical News report covers findings that may bring science closer to understanding how these disabling syndromes develop and persist. Researchers used advanced DNA methylation profiling on blood cells from patients diagnosed with ME/CFS, Long COVID, and healthy individuals to compare molecular patterns. The results point to striking similarities, but also subtle differences, which may help explain the disease progression and potentially unlock future diagnostic and treatment tools.
What the Researchers Did
The research team, led by Katie Peppercorn, Sayan Sharma, Christina Edgar, Peter Stockwell, Euan Rodger, Aniruddha Chatterjee, and Warren Tate—all from the University of Otago—used a method called Reduced Representation Bisulphite Sequencing (RRBS). This allowed them to examine over 2 million DNA sites in immune cells from 15 people: five with ME/CFS, five with Long COVID, and five healthy individuals matched by age and sex.
They discovered 429 significant DNA methylation changes in Long COVID patients and 214 in ME/CFS patients. Methylation is a chemical tag on DNA that can turn genes on or off. A high number of these changes occurred in gene regions that control immune response, inflammation, nerve signaling, and energy metabolism. Interestingly, 118 of these changes were found in both disease groups.
Similarities and Subtle Differences
Both Long COVID and ME/CFS patients showed a general shift toward DNA hypermethylation, meaning more genes were being “switched off.” These changes were especially common in gene promoters (regions that initiate gene activity) and exons (protein-coding regions), including genes like IRF2BPL and LGALS3, which are linked to immune regulation, inflammation, and brain function.
Notably, Long COVID patients had more widespread methylation changes than ME/CFS patients. This could be due to the stage of the disease—Long COVID samples were taken one year after infection, while ME/CFS patients had been living with the illness for an average of 12 years.
Biological Pathways Affected
The shared genes between both conditions point to overlapping disruptions in immune response, cytokine signaling, cellular repair, and metabolism. However, Long COVID showed stronger links to blood vessel changes and inflammatory responses, while ME/CFS had un
ique markers related to thyroid hormone activity and T cell regulation.
Why It Matters
This study provides powerful evidence that Long COVID and ME/CFS may be driven by similar underlying biology. The shared DNA changes could become the basis for a simple blood test to diagnose these illnesses—especially valuable for early detection in Long COVID patients. It also suggests that treatments developed for one condition may help the other.
The researchers stress that their findings need to be confirmed in larger studies, but this is a critical step forward. Understanding these epigenetic “signatures” could not only improve diagnosis but also help develop treatments that reverse the damage or stabilize symptoms.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed International Journal of Molecular Sciences.
https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/26/14/6631
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Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/even-mild-or-asymptomatic-covid-19-infections-leave-over-700-dna-methylation-changes-after-recovery
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/sars-cov-2-triggers-methylation-shifts-in-long-non-coding-rna-to-suppress-immunity-and-promote-viral-persistence
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/covid-19-causes-exponential-dna-methylation-in-the-tas2r38-gene
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