title: The possible link between elevated serum levels of epithelial cell-derived neutrophil-activating peptide-78 (ENA-78/CXCL5) and autoimmunity in autistic children.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In autoimmune disorders, the underlying pathogenic mechanism is the formation of antigen-antibody complexes which trigger an inflammatory response by inducing the infiltration of neutrophils. Epithelial cell-derived neutrophil-activating peptide-78 (ENA-78) is a chemokine that recruits and activates neutrophils, thus it could play a pathogenic role in inflammation and autoimmune disorders. Some autistic children have elevated levels of brain specific auto-antibodies. We are the first to evaluate serum expression of ENA-78 and its relation to antineuronal auto-antibodies in autistic children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum ENA-78 and antineuronal auto-antibodies were measured by ELISA test in 62 autistic children aged between 4-11 years and 62 health-matched controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum levels of ENA-78 were significantly higher in autistic children than healthy controls (P < 0.001). Increased serum levels of ENA-78 have been found in 69.35% of autistic patients. In addition, autistic children had significantly higher percent positivity of serum antineuronal auto-antibodies (64.5%) than healthy controls (6.45%), P < 0.001. There was a significant positive association between the positivity of serum antineuronal auto-antibodies and the elevated levels of serum ENA-78 (P < 0.001) in autistic children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum levels of ENA-78 were elevated in autistic children and they were significantly associated with the increased levels of serum antineuronal auto-antibodies. However, these data should be treated with caution until further research is conducted to determine the pathogenic role of ENA-78 in autism and its relation to brain specific auto-antibodies that have been found in some autistic children. The possible therapeutic role of ENA-78 antagonist in autistic children should be also studied.
authors: Gehan Ahmed
authors: GA
authors: Mostafa
authors: Laila Yousef
authors: LY
authors: Al-Ayadhi
mesh_terms: D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology*; D015551:Autoimmunity / Q000235:genetics*; D001921:Brain / Q000276:immunology; D054365:Chemokine CXCL5 / Q000097:blood*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000276:immunology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
chemical_list: C486263:CXCL5 protein, human; D054365:Chemokine CXCL5