Raijmakers, Ruud P H, Jansen, Anne F M, Keijmel, Stephan P et al. · Journal of translational medicine · 2019 · DOI
This study looked at a specific type of protein fragment called humanin that is made inside cells' energy factories (mitochondria). Researchers found that people with ME/CFS and Q fever fatigue syndrome had lower levels of this protein compared to healthy people. The findings suggest that problems with how these protein fragments are made may be involved in causing fatigue in these conditions.
This research identifies a potential biological mechanism shared between ME/CFS and QFS, pointing to mitochondrial dysfunction as a common pathway. Understanding MDP dysregulation could lead to new diagnostic biomarkers or therapeutic targets for ME/CFS patients.
This study does not prove that low humanin levels *cause* ME/CFS or QFS—it only shows an association. The study cannot determine whether reduced MDP expression is a primary cause, a consequence of the illness, or merely a marker of mitochondrial stress. Functional studies are needed to establish whether restoring humanin levels would improve symptoms.
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
Raijmakers, Ruud P H, Jansen, Anne F M, Keijmel, Stephan P, Ter Horst, Rob, Roerink, Megan E, Novakovic, Boris, et al. (2019). A possible role for mitochondrial-derived peptides humanin and MOTS-c in patients with Q fever fatigue syndrome and chronic fatigue syndrome.. Journal of translational medicine. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-019-1906-3
BibTeX
@article{mecfsatlas-raijmakers-2019-possible-role,
author = {Raijmakers, Ruud P H and Jansen, Anne F M and Keijmel, Stephan P and Ter Horst, Rob and Roerink, Megan E and Novakovic, Boris and Joosten, Leo A B and van der Meer, Jos W M and Netea, Mihai G and Bleeker-Rovers, Chantal P},
title = {A possible role for mitochondrial-derived peptides humanin and MOTS-c in patients with Q fever fatigue syndrome and chronic fatigue syndrome.},
journal = {Journal of translational medicine},
year = {2019},
doi = {10.1186/s12967-019-1906-3},
note = {PubMed: 31088495},
url = {https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/raijmakers-2019-possible-role},
}Atlas snapshot reference
ME/CFS Atlas. Generator v1 / Scanner v1.4 / policy v0.1. Accessed 2026-05-25. https://www.mecfsatlas.com/evidence/raijmakers-2019-possible-role
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