title: Assessment of neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) in autistic serum and postmortem brain.
abstract: Studies have identified structural abnormalities in areas of the autistic brain, with a pattern suggesting that a neurodevelopmental anomaly took place. Neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), which is involved in development of the central nervous system, was previously shown to be decreased in the serum of autistic individuals. In the present study, we measured NCAM protein in the sera from controls, patients with autism, siblings of autistic patients, and individuals with other neurologic disorders, but found no significant differences. We also measured NCAM protein in autistic postmortem brain samples and found the longest isoform, NCAM-180, to be significantly decreased. In addition, we investigated the mRNA expression of NCAM in these brain samples using cDNA microarrays and RT-PCR. Results show that NCAM mRNA levels are not altered in autism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Purcell
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Rocco
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Lenhart
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hyder
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Zimmerman
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pevsner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012333:RNA, Messenger