title: The possible relationship between allergic manifestations and elevated serum levels of brain specific auto-antibodies in autistic children.
abstract: Etiology of autism has become an area of a significant controversy. Allergy induced autism is an area of research wherein immune responses to some allergens may play a pathogenic role in autism. Allergy may induce the production of brain specific auto-antibodies in a subgroup of autistic children. We are the first to investigate the possible link between allergic manifestations and serum levels of both anti-myelin basic protein (anti-MBP) and anti-myelin associated glycoprotein (anti-MAG) brain-specific auto-antibodies, which were measured by ELISA method, in 42 autistic children in comparison to 42 healthy-matched children. Allergic manifestations (bronchial asthma, atopic dermatitis and/or allergic rhinitis) were found in 47.6% of autistic patients. Increased serum levels of anti-MBP and anti-MAG auto-antibodies were found in 57.1% and 66.7%, respectively of autistic children. In addition, 78.5% of autistic children had increased serum levels of both anti-MBP and/or anti-MAG auto-antibodies. Autistic patients with allergic manifestations had significantly higher serum levels of anti-MBP and anti-MAG auto-antibodies than those without these manifestations (P<0.001 and P=0.001, respectively). In conclusion, allergy may be a contributing factor to the increased serum levels of anti-MBP and anti-MAG auto-antibodies in some autistic children. Indeed, we need to know more about the links between allergy, immune system and brain in autism for finding new therapeutic modalities in autism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt. hafezg@softhome.net
authors.forename: Gehan Ahmed
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Mostafa
authors.forename: Laila Yousef
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Al-Ayadhi
mesh_terms: D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein / Q000097:blood*; D018992:Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D015415:Biomarkers; C115082:MAG protein, human; C499048:MBP protein, human; D004676:Myelin Basic Protein; D018992:Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein
keywords: Allergy; Anti-myelin associated glycoprotein antibodies; Anti-myelin basic protein antibodies; Autism; Autoimmunity