Antibodies to neuron-specific antigens in children with autism-08/2002

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J Neuroimmunol 2002 Aug;129(1-2):168 Related Articles, Books, LinkOut

Antibodies to neuron-specific antigens in children with autism: possible

cross-reaction with encephalitogenic proteins from milk, Chlamydia

pneumoniae and Streptococcus group A.

Vojdani A, A, Anyanwu E, Kashanian A, Bock K, Vojdani E.

Section of Neuroimmunology, Immunosciences Laboratory, Inc., 8693 Wilshire

Boulevard, Suite 200, 90211, Beverly Hills, CA, USA

We measured autoantibodies against nine different neuron-specific antigens

and three cross-reactive peptides in the sera of autistic subjects and

healthy controls by means of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)

testing. The antigens were myelin basic protein (MBP), myelin-associated

glycoprotein (MAG), ganglioside (GM(1)), sulfatide (SULF), chondroitin

sulfate (CONSO(4)), myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG),

alpha,beta-crystallin (alpha,beta-CRYS), neurofilament proteins (NAFP),

tubulin and three cross-reactive peptides, Chlamydia pneumoniae (CPP),

streptococcal M protein (STM6P) and milk butyrophilin (BTN). Autistic

children showed the highest levels of IgG, IgM and IgA antibodies against

all neurologic antigens as well as the three cross-reactive peptides. These

antibodies are specific because immune absorption demonstrated that only

neuron-specific antigens or their cross-reactive epitopes could

significantly reduce antibody levels. These antibodies may have been

synthesized as a result of an alteration in the blood-brain barrier. This

barrier promotes access of preexisting T-cells and central nervous system

antigens to immunocompetent cells, which may start a vicious cycle. These

results suggest a mechanism by which bacterial infections and milk antigens

may modulate autoimmune responses in autism.

PMID: 12161033 [PubMed - in process]

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Mol Psychiatry 2002;7 Suppl 2:S26-8 Related Articles, Books, LinkOut

Heat shock protein 90 antibodies in autism.

Evers M, Cunningham-Rundles C, Hollander E.

Department of Psychiatry and the Seaver Autism Research Center, Mt Sinai

School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.

Molecular Psychiatry (2002) 7, S26-S28. doi:10.1038/sj.mp.4001171

PMID: 12142940 [PubMed - in process]

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