Keele, Gregory R, Enger, Mike, Barnette, Quinn et al. · International journal of molecular sciences · 2026 · DOI
Researchers analyzed genetic and protein data from multiple ME/CFS studies to look for common patterns. They found evidence that mitochondria—the energy-producing parts of our cells—may not be working properly in people with ME/CFS. The study identified specific genes and existing drugs that might help support mitochondrial function, though more research is needed to test whether these treatments actually work.
This research provides molecular evidence that mitochondrial dysfunction is a real biological feature of ME/CFS rather than purely psychological, potentially validating patient experiences of energy deficits. Identifying existing approved drugs that may target mitochondrial dysfunction could accelerate repurposing efforts and clinical trials, offering hope for treatment options while waiting for novel therapeutics.
This study does not prove that any of the identified drug compounds will actually be effective in treating ME/CFS patients—it only suggests they warrant investigation based on their molecular targets. The lack of consistency in specific genes across studies means these findings are preliminary, and larger, more rigorously controlled studies are needed to confirm which mitochondrial pathways are truly dysregulated. This work demonstrates association and mechanism in specific tissues but does not establish causation or explain the post-exertional malaise response.
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
Keele, Gregory R, Enger, Mike, Barnette, Quinn, Ruiz-Esparza, Roman, Alvarado, Manuel, Mathur, Ravi, et al. (2026). Systematic Examination of Gene Expression and Proteomic Evidence Across Tissues Supports the Role of Mitochondrial Dysregulation in ME/CFS.. International journal of molecular sciences. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27041997
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-keele-2026-systematic-examination,
author = {Keele, Gregory R and Enger, Mike and Barnette, Quinn and Ruiz-Esparza, Roman and Alvarado, Manuel and Mathur, Ravi and Stratford, Jeran K and Giamberardino, Stephanie N and Brown, Linda Morris and Webb, Bradley T and Carnes, Megan Ulmer},
title = {Systematic Examination of Gene Expression and Proteomic Evidence Across Tissues Supports the Role of Mitochondrial Dysregulation in ME/CFS.},
journal = {International journal of molecular sciences},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.3390/ijms27041997},
note = {PubMed: 41752134},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/keele-2026-systematic-examination},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-30. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/keele-2026-systematic-examination
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