title: Antibodies against the voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC) and its protective ligand hexokinase-I in children with autism.
abstract: Autistic children show elevated serum levels of autoantibodies to several proteins essential for the function of normal brains. The voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC) and hexokinase-I, a VDAC protective ligand, were identified as targets of this autoimmunity in autistic children. These autoantibodies were purified using immunoaffinity chromatographic techniques. Both antibodies induce apoptosis of cultured human neuroblastoma cells. Because VDAC and hexokinase-I are essential for brain protection from ischemic damage, the presence of these autoantibodies suggests a possible causal role in the neurologic pathogenesis of autism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710, USA. gonza002@mc.duke.edu
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gonzalez-Gronow
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cuchacovich
authors.forename: Rina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Francos
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cuchacovich
authors.forename: Maria del Pilar
authors.initials: Mdel P
authors.lastname: Fernandez
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blanco
authors.forename: Edith V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Bowers
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaczowka
authors.forename: Salvatore V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Pizzo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000276:immunology; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood / Q000302:isolation & purification; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006593:Hexokinase / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008024:Ligands; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015213:Neuroimmunomodulation / Q000276:immunology; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000276:immunology; D050994:Voltage-Dependent Anion Channels / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D008024:Ligands; D050994:Voltage-Dependent Anion Channels; C472074:HK1 protein, human; D006593:Hexokinase