title: Decreased serum levels of hepatocyte growth factor in male adults with high-functioning autism.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The mechanisms underlying the pathophysiology of autism are currently unknown. Given the role of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) in brain development, we hypothesized that HGF plays a role in the pathophysiology of autism. In this study, we studied whether serum HGF levels are altered in subjects with high-functioning autism.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), we measured serum levels of HGF in 17 male adults with high-functioning autism and age-matched 18 male healthy subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The serum levels (503.5+/-160.5 pg/mL (mean+/-SD)) of HGF in the subjects with high-functioning autism were significantly (Mann-Whitney U=34.0, p<0.001) lower than those (817.6+/-232.4 pg/mL (mean+/-SD)) of control subjects. However, there were no correlations between serum HGF levels and clinical variables in the patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that reduced HGF levels may play a role in the pathophysiology of high-functioning autism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neurology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Genichi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sugihara
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: Katsuaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Shiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suda
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsuzaki
authors.forename: Masayoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawai
authors.forename: Yoshio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Minabe
authors.forename: Atsuko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yagi
authors.forename: Nori
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takei
authors.forename: Toshiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
authors.forename: Norio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mori
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011581:Psychological Tests; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor