title: Detection of auto-antibodies to DAT in the serum: interactions with DAT genotype and psycho-stimulant therapy for ADHD.
abstract: Interest is rising for auto-immune contribution in neuro-psychiatry. We evaluated the auto-antibodies against dopamine transporter (DAT aAbs) in 61 children (46 ADHD who met DSM-IV-TR criteria, 15 healthy controls).
  
  
  METHODS
  ADHD patients were assigned, according to severity, either to a non-pharmacological therapy (NPT, N=32) or to a pharmacological treatment (PT, N=14) with methylphenidate (MPH). In ADHD children, blood samples were withdrawn twice, at recruitment (T0 basal) and after 6 weeks (T1); following 16 excluded subjects, DAT genotype was characterized (9-repeat or 10-repeat alleles; N=15 each). After 18 months of NPT or PT, some patients (carrying at least one 9-repeat allele) were blood sampled again (T2), for comparison with healthy controls (final n=8) RESULTS: Compared to NPT, basal DAT aAbs titers were higher within most severe patients (then assigned to PT), specifically if carrying a DAT 10/10 genotype. DAT aAbs levels of NPT group resulted highly correlated with distinct subscales of Conners' Parent/Teacher Scales (Rs>0.34), especially within DAT 10/10 genotype (Rs>0.53). While T1 titers were elevated over T0 baseline for NPT children, such an increase was not observed in PT patients carrying at least one 9-repeat allele, who also showed behavioral response to subchronic MPH. After 12-24 months of MPH exposure, DAT aAbs titers in PT subjects were comparable to those of healthy controls, while titers remained significantly elevated in NPT patients. Data warrant further research on serum DAT aAbs, which could be used to confirm ADHD diagnosis and/or to monitor therapeutic efficacy of MPH.
authors.affiliation: Child Neuro-Psychiatry Unit, University of "Roma 2" Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy; Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Grazia
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Giana
authors.affiliation: Cell Biology & Neurosciences Dept., Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy; Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Emilia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.affiliation: Child Neuro-Psychiatry Unit, University of "Roma 2" Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Porfirio
authors.affiliation: Policlinico Universitario "Umberto I", "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: D'Ambrosio
authors.affiliation: Child Neuro-Psychiatry Unit, University of "Roma 2" Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Giovinazzo
authors.affiliation: Child Neuro-Psychiatry Unit, University of "Roma 2" Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Miriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Troianiello
authors.affiliation: Cell Biology & Neurosciences Dept., Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Barlocci
authors.affiliation: Cell Biology & Neurosciences Dept., Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Domenica
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Travaglini
authors.affiliation: National BioService LLC, Saint-Petersburg, Russia.
authors.forename: Oleg
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Granstrem
authors.affiliation: Medical Surgical Sciences & Biotechnology Dept., "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Esterina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pascale
authors.affiliation: Policlinico Universitario "Umberto I", "Sapienza" University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tarani
authors.affiliation: Child Neuro-Psychiatry Unit, University of "Roma 2" Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Curatolo
authors.affiliation: Cell Biology & Neurosciences Dept., Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Laviola
authors.affiliation: Cell Biology & Neurosciences Dept., Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: adriani@iss.it.
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Adriani
mesh_terms: D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood*; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D008774:Methylphenidate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018598:Minisatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D050483:Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; D008774:Methylphenidate
keywords: 10-Repeat allele; 9-Repeat allele; Auto-antibodies (aAbs) to neuro-receptors; Auto-immunity in neuro-psychiatry; CGAS; Conners' scale; Dopamine transporter (DAT); ELISA; Methylphenidate