Display options
Cite
Grether JK, Ashwood P, Van de Water J, et al. Prenatal and Newborn Immunoglobulin Levels from Mother-Child Pairs and Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Front Neurosci. 2016;10:218doi: 10.3389/fnins.2016.00218.
Grether, J. K., Ashwood, P., Van de Water, J., Yolken, R. H., Anderson, M. C., Torres, A. R., Westover, J. B., Sweeten, T., Hansen, R. L., Kharrazi, M., & Croen, L. A. (2016). Prenatal and Newborn Immunoglobulin Levels from Mother-Child Pairs and Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Frontiers in neuroscience, 10218. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2016.00218
Grether, Judith K, et al. "Prenatal and Newborn Immunoglobulin Levels from Mother-Child Pairs and Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorders." Frontiers in neuroscience vol. 10 (2016): 218. doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2016.00218
Grether JK, Ashwood P, Van de Water J, Yolken RH, Anderson MC, Torres AR, Westover JB, Sweeten T, Hansen RL, Kharrazi M, Croen LA. Prenatal and Newborn Immunoglobulin Levels from Mother-Child Pairs and Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Front Neurosci. 2016 May 18;10:218. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2016.00218. eCollection 2016. PMID: 27242422; PMCID: PMC4870252.
Copy Download .nbib Format: NLM
Share it on

Front Neurosci. 2016 May 18;10:218. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2016.00218. eCollection 2016.

Prenatal and Newborn Immunoglobulin Levels from Mother-Child Pairs and Risk of Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Frontiers in neuroscience

Judith K Grether, Paul Ashwood, Judy Van de Water, Robert H Yolken, Meredith C Anderson, Anthony R Torres, Jonna B Westover, Thayne Sweeten, Robin L Hansen, Martin Kharrazi, Lisa A Croen

Affiliations

  1. California Department of Public HealthRichmond, CA, USA; Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente of Northern CaliforniaOakland, CA, USA.
  2. Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of California Davis, CA, USA.
  3. Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis, CA, USA.
  4. Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD, USA.
  5. California Department of Public Health Richmond, CA, USA.
  6. Center for Persons with Disabilities, Utah State University Logan, UT, USA.
  7. Department of Biology, Utah State University Brigham City, UT, USA.
  8. MIND Institute, University of California Davis, CA, USA.
  9. Genetic Disease Screening Program, California Department of Public Health Richmond, CA, USA.
  10. Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente of Northern California Oakland, CA, USA.

PMID: 27242422 PMCID: PMC4870252 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2016.00218

Abstract

BACKGROUND: An etiological role for immune factors operating during early brain development in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has not yet been established. A major obstacle has been the lack of early biologic specimens that can be linked to later diagnosis. In a prior study, we found lower risk of ASD associated with higher levels of maternally-derived total IgG and Toxoplasmosis gondii (Toxo) IgG in newborn blood spot specimens from children later diagnosed with ASD compared to population controls.

METHODS: We obtained maternal mid-gestational serum specimens and newborn screening blood spots from the California Genetics Disease Screening Program (GDSP) for linked mother-baby pairs for 84 children with ASD and 49 children with developmental delay but not ASD (DD) identified from California Department of Developmental Services records and for 159 population controls sampled from birth certificates.Immunoglobulin levels in maternal and newborn specimens were measured by solid phase immunoassays and analyzed in logistic regression models for total IgG, total IgM, and Toxo IgG, and, for maternal specimens only, Toxo IgM. Correlations between maternal and newborn ranked values were evaluated.

RESULTS: In both maternal and newborn specimens, we found significantly lower risk of ASD associated with higher levels of Toxo IgG. In addition, point estimates for all comparisons were < 1.0 suggesting an overall pattern of lower immunoglobulin levels associated with higher ASD risk but most did not reach statistical significance. We did not find differences in maternal or newborn specimens comparing children with DD to controls.

DISCUSSION: These results are consistent with evidence from our prior study and other published reports indicating that immune factors during early neurodevelopment may be etiologically relevant to ASD. Lowered immunoglobulin levels may represent suboptimal function of the maternal immune system or reduced maternal exposure to common infectious agents.

CONCLUSION: Patterns seen in these selected immunoglobulins may provide clues to mechanisms of early abnormalities in neurodevelopment contributing to ASD. We recommend further study of immunoglobulin profiles in larger samples of linked mother-baby pairs to evaluate possible etiologic relevance.

Keywords: autism; biomarkers; immune function; maternal infection

References

  1. Biol Psychiatry. 2008 Apr 15;63(8):809-15 - PubMed
  2. Mol Autism. 2011 Aug 02;2:13 - PubMed
  3. Front Psychiatry. 2011 Nov 23;2:63 - PubMed
  4. Mol Psychiatry. 2014 Feb;19(2):259-64 - PubMed
  5. J Neuroimmunol. 2012 Nov 15;252(1-2):56-65 - PubMed
  6. Autism Res. 2010 Dec;3(6):323-32 - PubMed
  7. J Autism Dev Disord. 2013 Jan;43(1):25-33 - PubMed
  8. Pediatrics. 2012 Dec;130(6):e1447-54 - PubMed
  9. J Neuroimmunol. 2009 Jun 25;211(1-2):39-48 - PubMed
  10. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2011 Nov;68(11):1095-102 - PubMed
  11. J Autism Dev Disord. 1983 Sep;13(3):249-53 - PubMed
  12. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2013 Apr 5;42:35-48 - PubMed
  13. Ann Neurol. 2003 Apr;53(4):533-7 - PubMed
  14. Vaccine. 2003 Jul 28;21(24):3365-9 - PubMed
  15. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2001 Nov;58(11):1032-7 - PubMed
  16. Pediatrics. 2007 Jan;119(1):e61-9 - PubMed
  17. Neurotoxicology. 2008 Mar;29(2):226-31 - PubMed
  18. J Autism Dev Disord. 1984 Jun;14(2):183-9 - PubMed
  19. Biol Psychiatry. 2008 Oct 1;64(7):583-8 - PubMed
  20. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2008 Sep;199(3):234.e1-6 - PubMed
  21. Med Hypotheses. 2007;69(4):731-40 - PubMed
  22. Brain Behav Immun. 2007 Mar;21(3):351-7 - PubMed
  23. Curr Opin Neurol. 2010 Apr;23(2):111-7 - PubMed
  24. Brain Behav Immun. 2001 Dec;15(4):411-20 - PubMed
  25. Bipolar Disord. 2011 Nov-Dec;13(7-8):624-9 - PubMed
  26. Trends Mol Med. 2011 Jul;17(7):389-94 - PubMed
  27. J Autism Dev Disord. 2003 Aug;33(4):455-9 - PubMed
  28. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol. 2012 Jul;26(4):373-85 - PubMed
  29. J Autism Child Schizophr. 1971 Jan-Mar;1(1):33-47 - PubMed
  30. MMWR Surveill Summ. 2009 Dec 18;58(10):1-20 - PubMed
  31. Pediatr Neurol. 2009 Oct;41(4):288-90 - PubMed
  32. Am J Epidemiol. 2001 Aug 15;154(4):357-65 - PubMed
  33. Brain Behav Immun. 2008 Aug;22(6):806-16 - PubMed
  34. Environ Health Perspect. 2006 Jul;114(7):1119-25 - PubMed
  35. Brain Behav Immun. 2012 Mar;26(3):383-92 - PubMed
  36. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2010 May;164(5):470-7 - PubMed
  37. Am J Epidemiol. 1979 Jun;109(6):628-38 - PubMed

Publication Types