Immune Study in ASD

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Note similarily of immune picture of ASD and MS:

Autism study presented

Scientists analyzed blood from autistic kids and found marked differences

that could lead to test for disease

BY JAMIE TALAN

STAFF WRITER

May 6, 2005

Analyzing blood from autistic children, California scientists have found

disturbing differences in the way their immune systems work.

The scientists found that the autistic children had 20 percent more immune

cells specifically called upon to make antibodies to virtually every infection

encountered by the body. They also found substantial differences in the levels

of more than 100 blood proteins.

The findings could one day lead to the first biological test for autism.

Such a diagnostic tool could identify the risk for autism as early as the first

month of life -- years before the developmental delays in language and cognition

are picked up. The findings were presented Thursday at the International Meeting

for Autism Research, held in Boston.

" We are now learning that the immune system, genetics and environmental

triggers factor into this very complex disorder, " said Helen Trager-Flusberg,

director of the Laboratory of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience at Boston

University School of Medicine.

Amaral is a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at

University of California- School of Medicine and research director of the

school's MIND Institute. He and his colleagues collected blood from 70 autistic

children between 4 and 6 years old and from 35 children on the normal

developmental path. There were four times more boys than girls because autism is

far more common among males. The developmental disorder impairs language,

cognitive and social skills.

A neuropsychologist examined all of the children, and blood samples were

sent to a biotech company that specializes in markers in blood. They looked for

levels of immune cells and scanned 4,000 proteins and other metabolites.

According to Amaral, the level of antibody-producing B-cells was 20

percent higher among autistic children compared with the normal volunteers.

Also, immune cells called natural killer cells were increased by 40 percent.

They also found proteins that were abnormally altered in the blood of the

autistic patients. So far, almost 120 proteins differed dramatically in the

patients.

" There are enough differences in the blood that it is a good strategy for

finding a diagnostic marker, " Amaral said.

What's more, the increase in B-cells and natural killer cells of the

immune system may be evidence of an autoimmune disorder in the brain, akin to

what scientists have described in multiple sclerosis.

Now, the scientists are hoping to replicate the findings in younger

children. They will also test children with other brain disorders to make sure

that the findings are specific for autism.

" We have a considerable distance to go, " added Judy Van de Water, an

associate professor of rheumatology, allergy and clinical immunology at the

UC- MIND Institute.

Alan Lincoln, an autism expert and professor at the Alliant International

University in San Diego, cautioned that scientists must ensure they have the

right biomarkers in hand.

" If you are not right, you can really panic families, " Lincoln said.

Copyright 2005 Newsday Inc.