Definition:
A cellular enzyme that is part of the body’s immune defense. RNases are extremely common in the body and act to break up ribonucleic acid (RNA). Studies of CFS patients have shown that RNase levels may be higher than normal. While the reason for this is not clear, some speculate that it could be related to a viral attack. In the case of CFS patients, the RNase destroys all of the RNA within the cell, whether cellular or viral. Chronic fatigue syndrome sufferers frequently have elevated levels of RNase L, which supports the theory that the onset of CFS could be linked to a virus.
Some studies have looked into whether RNase L levels could be used for diagnosing CFS.
