Systemic auto-antibodies in children with autism.
Autoimmunity to central nervous system may have a role in the pathogenesis of autism. A subset of anti-ds-DNA antibodies has been recently proved to be pathogenic to the brain as well as to the kidney. Due to the paucity of studies investigating the frequency of systemic auto-antibodies in autism, we are the first to investigate the frequency of anti-ds-DNA antibodies in a group of autistic children. The seropositivity of anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA) was also investigated. Serum anti-ds-DNA antibodies and ANA were measured in 100 autistic children, aged between 4 and 11 years, in comparison to 100 healthy-matched children. The seropositivity of anti-ds-DNA antibodies and ANA in autistic children was 34% and 25%, respectively. In addition, 42% of autistic children were seropositive for anti-ds-DNA antibodies and/or ANA. The frequencies of anti-ds-DNA antibodies and ANA in autistic children were significantly higher than that in healthy children (4% and 2%, respectively), (P<0.001 and P<0.001, respectively). Autistic children with a family history of autoimmunity (45%) had significantly higher frequency of serum anti-ds-DNA antibodies (48.9%) than patients without such a history (21.8%), P=0.008. There was a significant positive association between the seropositivity of anti-ds-DNA antibodies and ANA (P<0.001). In conclusion, anti-ds-DNA antibodies and ANA were found in the sera of a subgroup of autistic children. However, replication studies of larger samples are warranted to validate whether these antibodies are a mere association or have a pathogenic role in some autistic children.
Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt; Autism Research and Treatment Center, Al-Amodi Autism Research Chair, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: gehan.mostafa2000@yahoo.com.
Gehan A
GA
Mostafa
Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
Dalia F
DF
El-Sherif
Autism Research and Treatment Center, Al-Amodi Autism Research Chair, Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Laila Y
LY
Al-Ayadhi
D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000097:blood*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004247:DNA / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D001323:Autoantibodies; D004247:DNA
ANA; Anti-ds-DNA antibodies; Autoimmunity; Family history of autoimmunity; autism