Antibodies to myelin basic protein in children with autistic behavior.
Based on a possible pathological relationship of autoimmunity to autism, antibodies reactive with myelin basic protein (anti-MBP) were investigated in the sera of autistic children. Using a screening serum dilution of 1:400 in the protein-immunoblotting technique, approximately 58% (19 of 33) sera of autistic children (< or = 10 years of age) were found to be positive for anti-MBP. This result in autistics was significantly (p < or = .0001) different from the controls (8 of 88 or only 9% positive), which included age-matched children with normal health, idiopathic mental retardation (MR) and Down syndrome (DS), and normal adults of 20 to 40 years of age. Since autism is a syndrome of unknown etiology, it is possible that anti-MBP antibodies are associated with the development of autistic behavior.
Singh
V K
VK
Biomedical Division, Center for Persons with Disabilities, Logan, Utah.
Warren
R P
RP
Odell
J D
JD
Warren
W L
WL
Cole
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000276:immunology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein / Q000276:immunology*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000276:immunology
D001323:Autoantibodies; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins