Sex differences in arginine- and polyamine-related metabolites in ME/CFS

In her poster presentation, Cornelia Pipper-Krampl talked about sex differences in arginine- and polyamine-related metabolites in ME/CFS. Research is increasingly suggesting that the disease is associated with cardiometabolic abnormalities and impaired vascular regulation. To closer investigate the significance of metabolites, and whether they differ in male vs female ME/CFS patients, the team established an analytical setup. Utilising data from the UK ME/CFS Biobank, analysis did not reveal significant results in the female population but in a male part of the sampled population. In the male ME/CFS cohort, there was an increase in arginine, homo-arginine and spermidine and a decrease in citrulline. This may suggest an imbalance in arginine usage, uptake and utilisation between the nitric oxide and the polyamine pathways, which could impact vascular and immune metabolic function. These findings do support a sex-dependent role of the arginine and nitric oxide axis in ME/CFS.