Cannon, J G, Angel, J B, Abad, L W et al. · Journal of clinical immunology · 1997 · DOI
This study examined whether people with ME/CFS have abnormal levels of immune signaling molecules (called interleukins) in their blood compared to healthy people. Researchers collected blood samples from women with ME/CFS and matched healthy controls at different points in their menstrual cycles, and tested how their immune cells responded to physical activity. The findings suggest that ME/CFS may involve differences in how the immune system communicates, possibly related to hormonal changes.
This study provides mechanistic evidence that ME/CFS involves abnormalities in interleukin-1 signaling, a key inflammatory pathway, potentially explaining why patients experience symptoms similar to those caused by cytokine infusion. Understanding these immune differences, particularly how they interact with hormonal cycles, may help explain why ME/CFS disproportionately affects women and why symptoms worsen during certain menstrual phases.
This study does not prove that interleukin abnormalities cause ME/CFS symptoms—only that the two are associated in this sample. The findings are from laboratory cell cultures (not whole-body responses), so they may not fully reflect immune function during actual physical activity in living patients. The cross-sectional design cannot establish whether these immune changes are a cause, consequence, or simply a marker of the disease.
About the PEM badge: “PEM required” means post-exertional malaise was an explicit required diagnostic criterion for participant inclusion in this study — not that PEM was studied, observed, or discussed. Studies using criteria that do not require PEM (e.g. Fukuda, Oxford) are tagged “PEM not required”. How the atlas works →
The first block is for the primary paper and is the citation you should use in research work. The atlas-snapshot line only applies if you are specifically referring to this atlas’s reading of the paper on the date shown.
Primary citation
Cannon, J G, Angel, J B, Abad, L W, Vannier, E, Mileno, M D, Fagioli, L, et al. (1997). Interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, and soluble interleukin-1 receptor type II secretion in chronic fatigue syndrome.. Journal of clinical immunology. https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1027314713231
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-cannon-1997-interleukin-beta,
author = {Cannon, J G and Angel, J B and Abad, L W and Vannier, E and Mileno, M D and Fagioli, L and Wolff, S M and Komaroff, A L},
title = {Interleukin-1 beta, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, and soluble interleukin-1 receptor type II secretion in chronic fatigue syndrome.},
journal = {Journal of clinical immunology},
year = {1997},
doi = {10.1023/a:1027314713231},
note = {PubMed: 9168406},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/cannon-1997-interleukin-beta},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-26. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/cannon-1997-interleukin-beta
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