ABSTRACT
Controversy exists over the role of autoantibodies to central nervous system antigens in autism and Tourette Syndrome. We investigated plasma autoantibody titers to glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in children with classic onset (33) and regressive onset (26) autism, controls (25, healthy age- and gender-matched) and individuals with Tourette Syndrome (24) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. We found a significant difference in autoantibody titers to GFAP, not accounted for by age, between the Tourette (significantly lower) and regressive autism groups. However, no differences were found between: classic/regressive; classic/controls; classic/Tourette; regressive/controls; or controls/Tourette. Autoantibody responses against GFAP are unlikely to play a pathogenic role in autism or Tourette Syndrome.
Subject(s)
Autistic Disorder/immunology , Autoantibodies/blood , Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein/immunology , Tourette Syndrome/immunology , Autistic Disorder/diagnosis , Brain/immunology , Child , Child, Preschool , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Female , Humans , Male , Reference Values , Tourette Syndrome/diagnosisABSTRACT
Autoantibodies to central nervous system antigens, such as myelin basic protein (MBP), may play a role in autism. We measured autoantibody titers to MBP in children with autism, both classic onset and regressive onset forms, controls (healthy age- and gender-matched) and individuals with Tourette syndrome via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. We found a significant difference in autoantibody titers to MBP, not accounted for by age or medication, between Tourette and classic autism (both significantly lower) when compared to regressive autism, but not when compared to controls. Autoantibody responses against MBP are unlikely to play a pathogenic role in autism.
Subject(s)
Autistic Disorder/immunology , Autoantibodies/blood , Myelin Basic Protein/immunology , Tourette Syndrome/immunology , Autistic Disorder/diagnosis , Axons/immunology , Blotting, Western , Brain/immunology , Child , Child, Preschool , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Female , Histones/immunology , Humans , Male , Myelin Sheath/immunology , Reference Values , Tourette Syndrome/diagnosisABSTRACT
The role that virus infections play in autism is not known. Others have reported that antibodies against measles virus are higher in the sera/plasma of children with autism versus controls. The authors investigated antibody titers to measles, mumps, and rubella viruses and diphtheria toxoid in children with autism, both classic onset (33) and regressive onset (26) forms, controls (25, healthy age- and gender-matched) and individuals with Tourette's syndrome (24) via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. No significant differences in antibody titers to measles, mumps, and rubella viruses and diphtheria toxoid were found among the four groups. Additionally, there were no significant differences between the four groups for total immunoglobulin (Ig)G or IgM. Interestingly, the authors did find a significant number (15/59) of autism subjects (classic and regressive onset combined) who had a very low or no antibody titer against rubella virus, compared to a combine control/Tourette's group (2/49).
Subject(s)
Antibodies, Viral/blood , Autistic Disorder/immunology , Autistic Disorder/virology , RNA Virus Infections/immunology , Age of Onset , Child , Child, Preschool , Diphtheria Toxoid/immunology , Female , Humans , Male , Measles/immunology , Mumps/immunology , Rubella/immunology , Tourette Syndrome/immunology , Tourette Syndrome/virologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Genetic factors account for approximately 50% of the individual variation in plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) concentrations in the general population. Several candidate genes have been proposed but their relative contributions to the variance in LDL-C are not known, except for apolipoprotein E (apoE). We report here an investigation of the relationship between LDL-C and cholesterol 7alpha-hydroxylase (CYP7), as well as apoE and low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR), three pivotal genes in LDL metabolism. METHODS: Our study population included more than 200 nuclear families with increased coronary heart disease (CHD) risk from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Family Heart Study. Variance-component linkage methods, a measured genotype approach, and a variance-component linkage analysis conditional on a measured genotype association were used. RESULTS: The results showed significant linkage between a genetic determinant of plasma LDL-C concentrations and a polymorphism near CYP7 with its allelic variation accounting for 27% of the total LDL-C variation. There is significant association between plasma LDL-C concentrations and apoE genotypes. Conditional on the apoE association, the total LDL-C variation accounted by allelic variation of a polymorphism near CYP7 was increased significantly. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest the apoE and CYP7 may be two important genes accounting for the genetic variation of plasma LDL-C concentrations in a population with cardiovascular diseases.
