title: Decreased serum levels of platelet-endothelial adhesion molecule (PECAM-1) in subjects with high-functioning autism: a negative correlation with head circumference at birth.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Accumulating evidence suggests that the immune system plays a role in the pathophysiology of autism, and that the adhesion molecules play an important role in the process of inflammation. This study was undertaken to determine whether serum levels of the adhesion molecules in subjects with high-functioning autism are altered as compared with those of normal controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen male subjects with high-functioning autism and 22 male age-matched unrelated healthy control subjects were enrolled. Serum levels of the soluble forms of platelet-endothelial adhesion molecule (PECAM-1), intracellular adhesion molecule (ICAM-1), and vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM-1) were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Levels of PECAM-1, but not ICAM-1, in the subjects with autism were significantly lower than those of control subjects. VCAM-1 showed a weak trend for a lowered level. There was a negative correlation between serum levels of PECAM-1 and head circumference at birth in the autistic subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that PECAM-1 plays a role in the pathophysiology of high-functioning autism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Neurology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan. hashimoto@faculty.chiba-u.jp
authors.forename: Kenji J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Tsuchiya
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Yasuhide
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Iwata
authors.forename: Masatsugu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsujii
authors.forename: Yoshimoto
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sekine
authors.forename: Genichi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sugihara
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsuzaki
authors.forename: Shiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suda
authors.forename: Masayoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kawai
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Yoshio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Minabe
authors.forename: Atsuko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yagi
authors.forename: Masaomi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iyo
authors.forename: Nori
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takei
authors.forename: Norio
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mori
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000097:blood*; D002508:Cephalometry; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods; D006257:Head / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D036801:Parturition; D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D019408:Platelet Endothelial Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1