Serum Zonulin, Claudin-5, junction Adhesion Molecule-A, Occludin and Tricellulin levels in children with autism spectrum disorder

Abstract

Introduction The aim of this study is to determine whether there is a difference in serum Zonulin, Occludin, Claudin-5, Junctional Adhesion Molecule-A (JAM-A), Tricellulin levels between individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and healthy controls. Method A total of 40 children with ASD and 40 controls aged 2-12 years were enrolled in this study. Serum levels of biochemical variables were determined using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Childhood Autism Rating Scale, Autism Behavior Checklist and Aberrant Behavior Checklist were applied to determine the severity of autistic symptoms. Results Serum Zonulin, Occludin, Claudin-5, Tricellulin and JAM-A levels did not differ between the study and control groups. There was no relationship between the severity of ASD symptoms and biochemical parameters. Discussion Although the findings of the study suggest that the permeability of the Blood Brain Barrier (BBB) is not effective in the etiology of ASD, there is a need for new studies addressing the limitations of our study in a larger and heterogeneous sample in order to generalize the findings.