Thread by @exceedhergrasp1

Now we're up to Ron Davis and the metabolic trap hypothesis for #MECFS: yeast model for the metabolic trap. (1/7) #metabolism #fatigue

Tryptophan is largely metabolized by a protein made by an enzyme called IDO-1. A second enzyme, called IDO-2, may be a "more primitive" version of the same enzyme. IDO-1 is substrate-inhibited. (2/7) #metabolism #MECFS

In a small study with ~20 severe patients, all had at least one mutation in IDO-2. "It's not a requirement that you have a mutation in IDO-2" to have ME/CFS, says Davis. It doesn't rule out that mutations here can play a role. (3/7) #metabolism #MECFS

~Needs to be demonstrated in vivo
~Did in yeasts first, by putting in the human IDO-1 gene
~Look for depletion vs none of tryptophan
~Look at kynurenine levels (4/7) #metabolism #MECFS

BH4 also of potential interest in ME/CFS, says R. Davis. (5/7) #metabolism #MECFS

IDO-1 is also affected by low iron, since the enzyme has a heme group. Davis hypothesizes this may in part explain why women are more likely to get ME/CFS. (6/7) #metabolism #MECFS

Summary slide: (7/7) #metabolism #MECFS

(I don't always have the time to do alt text on these rapid-fire tweets but I did here, because I relied on slides/images a lot more than usual!)

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