BMBF-Einzelprojekt: FAME - Funktionelle Autoantikörper gegen G-Protein-gekoppelte Rezeptoren bei Betroffenen mit ME/CFS

Dr Bettina Hohberger presented the research project "Functional autoantibodies against G-protein-coupled receptors in patients with ME/CFS (FAME)". Since symptoms of post-COVID are similar to symptoms of ME/CFS, the FAME project plans to investigate the disease-causing function of GPCR antibodies in people with ME/CFS and to develop new tests for the detection of functionally active autoantibodies against GPCR, which are based on human induced pluripotent stem cells. Furthermore, the project aims to clarify how common autoantibodies against GPCR are in adults and young children with ME/CFS, what triggers the formation of these autoantibodies after infections and whether the detection of GPCR antibodies correlates with clinical symptoms. The project will thus make an important contribution to elucidating and understanding the role of GPCR autoantibodies in the development of ME/CFS and to the development of new therapies for ME/CFS.