title: Lipid mediators in plasma of autism spectrum disorders.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Inflammation is increasingly recognized as being of both physiological and pathological importance in the immature brain. Cerebellar pathology occurs in autism, as a neurodevelopmental disorder with genetic and environmental origins. The genesis of this disorder is still not understood but inflammation in utero or early in childhood is an environmental risk factor.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), cysteinyl leukotriene as two important lipid mediators together with 8 isoprostane as marker of oxidative stress were measured using ELISA in plasma of 20 male autistic patients compared to 19 age and gender matching control participants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PGE2, leukotrienes and isoprostanes recorded significantly elevated levels in autistics compared to controls. Role of these measured parameters in inflammation and autoimmunity as two etiological factors in autism were discussed in details.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis shows satisfactory values of area under the curve (AUC) which could reflect the high degree of specificity and sensitivity of the altered PGE2, leukotrienes and isoprostanes as predictive biomarkers in autistic patients from Saudi Arabia.
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry Department, Science College, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. elansary@ksu.edu.sa
authors.forename: Afaf
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: El-Ansary
authors.forename: Laila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Al-Ayadhi
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D028421:Isoprostanes / Q000097:blood*; D015289:Leukotrienes / Q000097:blood*; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D012372:ROC Curve; D012529:Saudi Arabia
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D028421:Isoprostanes; D015289:Leukotrienes; D015232:Dinoprostone