title: Neurotensin is increased in serum of young children with autistic disorder.
abstract: Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of pervasive neurodevelopmental disorders diagnosed in early childhood. They are associated with a set of "core symptoms" that include disabilities in social interaction skills, verbal and non-verbal communication, as well as repetitive and stereotypic behaviors. There is no definite pathogenetic mechanism or diagnostic tests. Many children with ASD also have "allergic-like" symptoms, but test negative implying mast cell activation by non-allergic triggers. We measured by Milliplex arrays serum levels of 3 neuropeptides that could stimulate mast cells in children with autistic disorder (n = 19; 16 males and 3 females; mean age 3.0 ± 0.4 years) and healthy, unrelated controls (n = 16; 13 males and 3 females; mean age 3 ± 1.2 years). Only neurotensin (NT) was significantly increased from 60.5 ± 6.0 pg/ml in controls to 105.6 ± 12.4 pg/ml in autistic disorder (p = 0.004). There was no statistically significant difference in the serum levels of β-endorphin or substance P (SP). NT could stimulate immune cells, especially mast cells, and/or have direct effects on brain inflammation and ASD.
authors: Laboratory of Molecular Immunopharmacology and Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
authors: Asimenia
authors: A
authors: Angelidou
authors: Konstantinos
authors: K
authors: Francis
authors: Magdalini
authors: M
authors: Vasiadi
authors: Konstantinos-Dionysios
authors: KD
authors: Alysandratos
authors: Bodi
authors: B
authors: Zhang
authors: Athanasios
authors: A
authors: Theoharides
authors: Lefteris
authors: L
authors: Lykouras
authors: Kyriaki
authors: K
authors: Sideri
authors: Dimitrios
authors: D
authors: Kalogeromitros
authors: Theoharis C
authors: TC
authors: Theoharides
mesh_terms: D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000097:blood*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009496:Neurotensin / Q000097:blood*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013373:Substance P / Q000097:blood; D001615:beta-Endorphin / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D013373:Substance P; D009496:Neurotensin; D001615:beta-Endorphin