title: Prenatal and Newborn Immunoglobulin Levels from Mother-Child Pairs and Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorders.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An etiological role for immune factors operating during early brain development in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has not yet been established. A major obstacle has been the lack of early biologic specimens that can be linked to later diagnosis. In a prior study, we found lower risk of ASD associated with higher levels of maternally-derived total IgG and Toxoplasmosis gondii (Toxo) IgG in newborn blood spot specimens from children later diagnosed with ASD compared to population controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  We obtained maternal mid-gestational serum specimens and newborn screening blood spots from the California Genetics Disease Screening Program (GDSP) for linked mother-baby pairs for 84 children with ASD and 49 children with developmental delay but not ASD (DD) identified from California Department of Developmental Services records and for 159 population controls sampled from birth certificates.Immunoglobulin levels in maternal and newborn specimens were measured by solid phase immunoassays and analyzed in logistic regression models for total IgG, total IgM, and Toxo IgG, and, for maternal specimens only, Toxo IgM. Correlations between maternal and newborn ranked values were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In both maternal and newborn specimens, we found significantly lower risk of ASD associated with higher levels of Toxo IgG. In addition, point estimates for all comparisons were < 1.0 suggesting an overall pattern of lower immunoglobulin levels associated with higher ASD risk but most did not reach statistical significance. We did not find differences in maternal or newborn specimens comparing children with DD to controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results are consistent with evidence from our prior study and other published reports indicating that immune factors during early neurodevelopment may be etiologically relevant to ASD. Lowered immunoglobulin levels may represent suboptimal function of the maternal immune system or reduced maternal exposure to common infectious agents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patterns seen in these selected immunoglobulins may provide clues to mechanisms of early abnormalities in neurodevelopment contributing to ASD. We recommend further study of immunoglobulin profiles in larger samples of linked mother-baby pairs to evaluate possible etiologic relevance.
authors.affiliation: California Department of Public HealthRichmond, CA, USA; Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente of Northern CaliforniaOakland, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Judith K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Grether
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of California Davis, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ashwood
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Judy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Van de Water
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Yolken
authors.affiliation: California Department of Public Health Richmond, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Meredith C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Center for Persons with Disabilities, Utah State University Logan, UT, USA.
authors.forename: Anthony R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.affiliation: Center for Persons with Disabilities, Utah State University Logan, UT, USA.
authors.forename: Jonna B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Westover
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Utah State University Brigham City, UT, USA.
authors.forename: Thayne
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sweeten
authors.affiliation: MIND Institute, University of California Davis, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Robin L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.affiliation: Genetic Disease Screening Program, California Department of Public Health Richmond, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kharrazi
authors.affiliation: Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente of Northern California Oakland, CA, USA.
authors.forename: Lisa A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Croen
keywords: autism; biomarkers; immune function; maternal infection