Immune activation of peripheral blood and mucosal CD3+ lymphocyte cytokine profiles in children with autism and gastrointestinal symptoms.
Gastrointestinal pathology, characterized by lymphoid nodular hyperplasia and entero-colitis, has been demonstrated in a cohort of children with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). Systemic and intestinal mucosal immune dysregulation was assessed in ASD children with gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms (n = 18), and typically developing controls (n = 27), including non-inflamed controls (NIC) and inflamed GI control children with Crohn's disease (CD), by analysis of intracellular cytokines in CD3+ lymphocytes. In both peripheral blood and mucosa, CD3+ TNFalpha+ and CD3+ IFNgamma+ were increased in ASD children compared with NIC (p < 0.004) and reached levels similar to CD. In contrast, peripheral and mucosal CD3+ IL-10+ were markedly lower in ASD children with GI symptoms compared with both NIC and CD controls (p < 0.02). In addition, mucosal CD3+ IL-4+ cells were increased (p < 0.007) in ASD compared with NIC. There is a unique pattern of peripheral blood and mucosal CD3+ lymphocytes intracellular cytokines, which is consistent with significant immune dysregulation, in this ASD cohort.
Ashwood
Paul
P
Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of California at Davis, M.I.N.D. Institute, Wet Lab building, 50th Street, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA. pashwood@ucdavis.edu
Wakefield
Andrew J
AJ
D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000276:immunology*; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*
D017252:CD3 Complex; D016207:Cytokines