title: Autism and immunity: revisited study.
abstract: Autism spectrum disorder is of interest neurochemically because it represents a relatively homogeneous disorder with regard to disease development, abnormal cognitive development and intellectual development disturbance. A consistent finding in autistic children is a high number of mast cells and a high level of serotonin which is also found at elevated concentrations in the urine of autistic patients. In addition, a dysfunction of clinical conditions, such as gastrointestinal and immunological symptoms, is frequently noted in autistic children, however, IgE does not appear to be prevalent in these children but probably an increase of cytokines/chemokines produced by mast cells at an early age may play an important role. Therefore an immune hypothesis, involving also autoimmunity, is one possible pathogenetic mechanism in autism. In conclusion, mast cell activation could contribute to immune and neuroinflammatory abnormalities that are evident in patients with autism spectrum disorders.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Castellani
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Kempuraj
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Salini
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vecchiet
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tete
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ciampoli
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cerulli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caraffa
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Antinolfi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Galzio
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shaik
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Theoharides
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De Amicis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perrella
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cuccurullo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boscolo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Felaco
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Doyle
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Verrocchio
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fulcheri
mesh_terms: D000641:Ammonia / Q000097:blood; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000276:immunology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000502:physiology; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D012701:Serotonin; D000641:Ammonia