Abstract
BackgroundAutoimmunity to the central nervous system (CNS) may play a pathogenic role in a subgroup of patients with autism. This study aimed to investigate the frequency of serum anti-ganglioside M1 auto-antibodies, as indicators of the presence of autoimmunity to CNS, in a group of autistic children. We are the first to measure the relationship between these antibodies and the degree of the severity of autism.MethodsSerum anti-ganglioside M1 antibodies were measured, by ELISA, in 54 autistic children, aged between 4 and 12 years, in comparison to 54 healthy-matched children. Autistic severity was assessed by using the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS).ResultsAutistic children had significantly higher serum levels of anti-ganglioside M1 antibodies than healthy children (P < 0.001). The seropositivity of anti-ganglioside M1 antibodies was found in 74% (40/54) of autistic children. Serum levels of anti-ganglioside M1 antibodies were significantly higher in autistic children with severe autism (63%) than those with mild to moderate autism (37%), P = 0.001. Moreover, serum anti-ganglioside M1 antibodies had significant positive correlations with CARS (P < 0.001).ConclusionsSerum levels of anti-ganglioside M1 antibodies were increased in many autistic children. Also, their levels had significant positive correlations with the degree of the severity of autism. Thus, autism may be, in part, one of the pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders. Further wide-scale studies are warranted to shed light on the possible etiopathogenic role of anti-ganglioside M1 auto-antibodies in autism. The role of immunotherapy in autistic patients who have increased serum levels of anti-ganglioside M1 antibodies should also be studied.
Highlights
Autoimmunity to the central nervous system (CNS) may play a pathogenic role in a subgroup of patients with autism
Since autism may be one of the pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders, this study aimed to investigate the frequency of serum anti-ganglioside M1 autoantibodies, as indicators of the presence of autoimmunity to brain, in a group of autistic children
According to the highest cut-off value of serum antiganglioside M1 antibodies, Increased serum levels of anti-ganglioside M1 antibodies were found in 74% (40/ 54) of all autistic children, in 55% (11/20) of patients with mild to moderate autism and in 85% (29/34) of children with severe autism
Summary
Autoimmunity to the central nervous system (CNS) may play a pathogenic role in a subgroup of patients with autism. The most important clue for the possible role of autoimmunity in autism is the presence of brain-specific auto-antibodies in many autistic children [3,4]. There is a strong association between autism and the major histocompatibility complex for the null allele of C4B in class III region. This results in low production of C4B protein leading to repeated infections which play an important role in the development of autoimmunity [10,11]. A new form of inflammatory bowel disease, known as ileocolonic lymphonodular hyperplasia or autistic enterocolitis, was reported in some autistic children leading researchers to suspect a gut-brain connection in autism [12]
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