JHU article - brain autoantibodies

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Journal of Neuroimmunology

Article in Press, Corrected Proof - Note to users

doi:10.1016/

j.jneuroim.2006.05.025

Copyright © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Antibrain antibodies in children with autism and their unaffected siblings

Harvey S. Singera, b, M. a, N. a,

Y. Yoona, J. Honga and W. Zimmermanc

aDepartment of Neurology, s Hopkins University School of Medicine,

Jefferson Street Building 124, 600 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD

21287-1000, USA

bDepartment of Pediatrics, s Hopkins University School of Medicine,

Jefferson Street Building 124, 600 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD

21287-1000, USA

cDepartment of Neurology, s Hopkins University School of Medicine

and the Kennedy Krieger Institute, 707 North Broadway, Baltimore, MD

21205, USA

Received 28 December 2005; revised 17 March 2006; accepted 26 May 2006.

Available online 13 July 2006.

Abstract

Serum autoantibodies to human brain, identified by ELISA and Western

immunoblotting, were evaluated in 29 children with autism spectrum

disorder (22 with autistic disorder), 9 non-autistic siblings and 13

controls. More autistic subjects than controls had bands at 100 kDa in

caudate, putamen and prefrontal cortex (p < 0.01) as well as larger peak

heights of bands at 73 kDa in the cerebellum and cingulate gyrus. Both

autistic disorder subjects and their matched non-autistic siblings had

denser bands (peak height and/or area under the curve) at 73 kDa in the

cerebellum and cingulate gyrus than did controls (p < 0.01). Results

suggest that children with autistic disorder and their siblings exhibit

differences compared to controls in autoimmune reactivity to specific

epitopes located in distinct brain regions.

Keywords: Autism; Immunoblotting; Autoantibodies; Siblings; 100 kDa; 73 kDa