title: Assessment of metallothionein and antibodies to metallothionein in normal and autistic children having exposure to vaccine-derived thimerosal.
abstract: Allergic autoimmune reaction after exposure to heavy metals such as mercury may play a causal role in autism, a developmental disorder of the central nervous system. As metallothionein (MT) is the primary metal-detoxifying protein in the body, we conducted a study of the MT protein and antibodies to metallothionein (anti-MT) in normal and autistic children whose exposure to mercury was only from thimerosal-containing vaccines. Laboratory analysis by immunoassays revealed that the serum level of MT did not significantly differ between normal and autistic children. Furthermore, autistic children harboured normal levels of anti-MT, including antibodies to isoform MT-I (anti-MT-I) and MT-II (anti-MT-II), without any significant difference between normal and autistic children. Our findings indicate that because autistic children have a normal profile of MT and anti-MT, the mercury-induced autoimmunity to MT may not be implicated in the pathogenesis of autism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322, USA. singhvk@cc.usu.edu
authors.forename: Vijendra K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hanson
mesh_terms: D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D011310:Preservatives, Pharmaceutical / Q000009:adverse effects*; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D012016:Reference Values; D013849:Thimerosal / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000276:immunology; D014612:Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; D011310:Preservatives, Pharmaceutical; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D014612:Vaccines; D013849:Thimerosal; D008668:Metallothionein