# Correlating neutrophil function and plasma cytokine profiles with progression of ME/CFS and Long-Covid/PASC

> **NIH NIH R21** · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · 2024 · $210,000

## Abstract

SUMMARY
Myalgic Encephalitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) is a complex chronic condition associated with
prolonged inflammatory signaling. Long Covid/Post-Acute Sequelae of Covid (PASC) has been noted as a
relatively common outcome of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and appears to mirror many of the features of ME/CFS,
suggesting that the etiology of these conditions might be shared [1, 2]. Neutrophils are the most common immune
cells in the circulation and are exquisitely sensitive to changes in inflammatory signaling. We have developed a
unique panel of microfluidic assays that probe neutrophil function from a drop of fresh blood. We recently used
these assays on fresh fingerpick blood obtained from 6 ICC-diagnosed ME/CFS subjects and 1 PASC subject
and found preliminary evidence that multiple neutrophil functions were altered in ME/CFS relative to
progression of disease. Strikingly, the PASC subject exhibited changes in neutrophil function most similar to
early-stage ME/CFS. The goal of our project is to use these microfluidic assays to probe neutrophil function in
a larger cohort of ICC-ME/CFS, PASC subjects, and healthy controls. We will characterize neutrophil motility
and extracellular trap formation (NETosis) from a drop of fresh blood, both at baseline and following in vitro
stimulation, in all subjects. We will also use an established panel to characterize proinflammatory cytokines in
ME/CFS, PASC, and healthy control subject blood collected at the same time as the neutrophil fingerprick
samples. This will determine if proinflammatory cytokine burden will correlate with neutrophil motility and baseline
NETosis across groups. An overarching aim of the proposal is to analyze neutrophil responses as a function of
illness duration in both ME/CFS and PASC. Characterization of neutrophil behavior in relatively recent-onset
PASC will lay the groundwork for future longitudinal studies of this condition and will help determine the
mechanistic overlap with ME/CFS or lack thereof.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10747979
- **Project number:** 5R21NS130147-02
- **Recipient organization:** MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL
- **Principal Investigator:** Felix Ellett
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $210,000
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2022-12-05 → 2025-11-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10747979

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10747979, Correlating neutrophil function and plasma cytokine profiles with progression of ME/CFS and Long-Covid/PASC (5R21NS130147-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-28 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10747979. Licensed CC0.

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