title: Decreased serum levels of transforming growth factor-beta1 in patients with autism.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The neurobiological basis for autism remains poorly understood. Given the key role of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) in brain development, we hypothesized that TGF-beta1 plays a role in the pathophysiology of autism. In this study, we studied whether serum levels of TGF-beta1 are altered in patients with autism.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured serum levels of TGF-beta1 in 19 male adult patients with autism and 21 age-matched male healthy subjects using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The serum levels (7.34+/-5.21 ng/mL (mean+/-S.D.)) of TGF-beta1 in the patients with autism were significantly (z=-5.106, p<0.001) lower than those (14.48+/-1.64 ng/mL (mean+/-S.D.)) of normal controls. However, there were no marked or significant correlations between serum TGF-beta1 levels and other clinical variables, including Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) scores, Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), aggression, Theory of Mind, and Intellectual Quotient (IQ) in patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that decreased levels of TGF-beta1 may be implicated in the pathophysiology of autism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neurology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 431-3192, Japan.
authors.forename: Kyoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Yasuhide
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Iwata
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Masatsugu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsujii
authors.forename: Kenji J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Tsuchiya
authors.forename: Yoshimoto
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sekine
authors.forename: Shiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suda
authors.forename: Katsuaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Gen-ichi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sugihara
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsuzaki
authors.forename: Toshiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
authors.forename: Masayoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawai
authors.forename: Yoshio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Minabe
authors.forename: Nori
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takei
authors.forename: Norio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mori
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000097:blood*; D003193:Compulsive Personality Disorder; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1