Here's the second part of CVS, DNA and CRPS Connections that was cut and pasted from RSD HOPE if anyone's interested. Take Care.

DNA + COMPLEX REGIONAL PAIN SYNDROME CONNECTION? - Mitochondrial DNA - What is it?

In the combined research grant described above, Doctor Boles investigated mitochondrial DNA.

What is mitochondrial DNA?

In this section from the NIH website, they explain what exactly it is;

Mitochondria are structures within cells that convert the energy from food into a form that cells can use. Although most DNA is packaged in chromosomes within the nucleus, mitochondria also have a small amount of their own DNA. This genetic material is known as mitochondrial DNA or mtDNA. In humans, mitochondrial DNA spans about 16,500 DNA building blocks (base pairs), representing a small fraction of the total DNA in cells.

Mitochondrial DNA contains 37 genes, all of which are essential for normal mitochondrial function. Thirteen of these genes provide instructions for making enzymes involved in oxidative phosphorylation. Oxidative phosphorylation is a process that uses oxygen and simple sugars to create adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the cell's main energy source. The remaining genes provide instructions for making molecules called transfer RNA (tRNA) and ribosomal RNA (rRNA), which are chemical cousins of DNA. These types of RNA help assemble protein building blocks (amino acids) into functioning proteins.

Mitochondrial genes are among the estimated 20,000 to 25,000 total genes in the human genome.

How are changes in mitochondrial DNA related to health conditions? Many genetic conditions are related to changes in particular mitochondrial genes. This list of disorders associated with mitochondrial genes provides links to additional information.

The following conditions are related to changes in the structure of mitochondrial DNA.

CANCERS

Mitochondrial DNA is prone to somatic mutations, which are a type of noninherited mutation. Somatic mutations occur in the DNA of certain cells during a person's lifetime and typically are not passed to future generations. There is limited evidence linking somatic mutations in mitochondrial DNA with certain cancers, including breast, colon, stomach, liver, and kidney tumors. These mutations might also be associated with cancer of blood-forming tissue (leukemia) and cancer of immune system cells (lymphoma).

It is possible that somatic mutations in mitochondrial DNA increase the production of potentially harmful molecules called reactive oxygen species. Mitochondrial DNA is particularly vulnerable to the effects of these molecules and has a limited ability to repair itself. As a result, reactive oxygen species easily damage mitochondrial DNA, causing a buildup of additional somatic mutations. Researchers are investigating how these mutations could be related to uncontrolled cell division and the growth of cancerous tumors.

SECOND STUDY CONCERNING MITOCHONDRIAL DNA AND CRPS TYPE 1

Furthermore, in a second study, this one also done at Children's Hospital in Los Angelas by Drs Higashimoto, Boles, Baldwin, and Gold. Reflex sympathetic dystrophy: complex regional pain syndrome type I in children with mitochondrial disease and maternal inheritance.
I found the following conclusion was drawn;

CONCLUSION:

In one tertiary-care paediatric genetics practice, children meeting the CRPS-I diagnostic criteria frequently had additional autonomic-related conditions secondary to maternally inherited mitochondrial disease, suggesting that mitochondrial DNA sequence variants can predispose children towards the development of CRPS-I and other dysautonomias. CRPS-I should be considered in patients with mitochondrial disease who complain of idiopathic pain. Maternally inherited mitochondrial disease may not be a rare cause of CRPS-I, especially in children who present with other manifestations of dysautonomia.


Click on the link above for the study to read more about it or if you would like to research more studies about Mitochondrial DNA, CVS, and possible links to CRPS and other neurological disease and other factors CLICK HERE. You never know what you can find when you start poking around in these NIH websites, especially the ones filled with study results!
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I don't know what some of this stuff means, but though maybe some of you might and may find it interesting. Take care and have a good night.

Very interesting Renee, thanks for posting this. I'm a scientist, but not a medical one lol - however I do understand some of the cell level genetics, and it would certainly make a lot of sense for there to be a DNA connection - I particularly note the term 'may predispose' - ie just because you have the damaged mtDNA doesn't mean you WILL develop CRPS or another condition, just that you are more likely....

Maybe for us rare few , we have that Bermuda Triangle effect going on - where all the fates have aligned (the damaged DNA, plus the injury/surgery, plus some other unknown factor) but in a bad way, and CRPS is the result for us.

I just hope (oh crumbs I really hope) that this kind of research and thinking will one day result in the development of a treatment that actually WORKS specifically for CRPS. It is a dream we all share!

There are so many if's in our lives. I often wish I'd never let that darn surgeon 'just have a look around' in my knee....but maybe I'd have ended up with it anyway from something else? Who knows.

Take care all,

Bram