title: Alteration in amino-glycerophospholipids levels in the plasma of children with autism: a potential biochemical diagnostic marker.
abstract: Currently, there is no biochemical test to assist in the behavioral diagnosis of autism. We observed that levels of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) were decreased while phosphatidylserine (PS) were increased in the erythrocyte membranes of children with autism as compared to their non-autistic developmentally normal siblings. A new method using Trinitrobenezene sulfonic acid (TNBS) for the quantification of PE and PS (amino-glycerophospholipids, i.e., AGP) in the plasma of children was developed and standardized. Wavelength scans of TNBS-PE and TNBS-PS complexes gave two peaks at 320 nm and 410 nm. When varying concentrations of PS and PE were used, a linear regression line was observed at 410 nm with TNBS. Using this assay, the levels of AGP were found to be significantly increased in the plasma of children with autism as compared to their non-autistic normal siblings. It is proposed that plasma AGP levels may function as a potential diagnostic marker for autism.
authors.affiliation: NYS Institute for Basic Research in Developmental Disabilities, Staten Island, New York, NY 10314, USA. chauhanvps@aol.com
authors.forename: Ved
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chauhan
authors.forename: Abha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chauhan
authors.forename: Ira L
authors.initials: IL
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: W Ted
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Ashfaq
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sheikh
mesh_terms: D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015415:Biomarkers; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D010714:Phosphatidylethanolamines / Q000097:blood*; D010718:Phosphatidylserines / Q000097:blood*; D012015:Reference Standards; D035781:Siblings; D014302:Trinitrobenzenesulfonic Acid / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D010714:Phosphatidylethanolamines; D010718:Phosphatidylserines; D014302:Trinitrobenzenesulfonic Acid