Reduced serum concentrations of 25-hydroxy vitamin D in children with autism: relation to autoimmunity.
BACKGROUND
Aside from the skeletal health affection, vitamin D deficiency has been implicated as a potential environmental factor triggering for some autoimmune disorders. Vitamin D might play a role in the regulation of the production of auto-antibodies. Immunomodulatory effects of vitamin D may act not only through modulation of T-helper cell function, but also through induction of CD4(+)CD25(high) regulatory T-cells. We are the first to investigate the relationship between serum levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D and anti-myelin-associated glycoprotein (anti-MAG) auto-antibodies in autistic children.


METHODS
Serum levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D and anti-MAG auto-antibodies were measured in 50 autistic children, aged between 5 and 12 years, and 30 healthy-matched children. Serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels 10-30 ng/mL and < 10 ng/mL were defined as vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency, respectively.


RESULTS
Autistic children had significantly lower serum levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D than healthy children (P < 0.001) with 40% and 48% being vitamin D deficient and insufficient, respectively. Serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D had significant negative correlations with Childhood Autism Rating Scale (P < 0.001). Increased levels of serum anti-MAG auto-antibodies were found in 70% of autistic patients. Serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels had significant negative correlations with serum levels of anti-MAG auto-antibodies (P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Vitamin D deficiency was found in some autistic children and this deficiency may contribute to the induction of the production of serum anti-MAG auto-antibodies in these children. However, future studies looking at a potential role of vitamin D in the pathophysiology and treatment of autism are warranted.
Autism Research and Treatment Center, AL-Amodi Autism Research Chair, Department of Physiology, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. hafezg@softhome.net
Gehan A
GA
Mostafa
Laila Y
LY
Al-Ayadhi
D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018992:Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein / Q000276:immunology; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood; D014808:Vitamin D Deficiency / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*
D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; C115082:MAG protein, human; D018992:Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein; D014807:Vitamin D; C104450:25-hydroxyvitamin D