Autism Studies and Related Medical Conditions, January 2009 - TACA

Streptococcus group A.
Vojdani A, Campbell AW, Anyanwu E, Kashanian A, Bock K, Vojdani E.
Section of Neuroimmunology, Immunosciences Laboratory, Inc., 8693 Wilshire
Boulevard, Suite 200, Beverly Hills, CA 90211, USA. immunsci@ix.netcom.com
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 (GM1), sulfatide (SULF), chondroitin sulfate (CONSO4), 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 - indexed for MEDLINE]
21: Behav Brain Res. 2007 Jan 10;176(1):141-8. Epub 2006 Jul 21.
Abnormal social behaviors in young and adult rats neonatally infected with Borna
disease virus.
Lancaster K, Dietz DM, Moran TH, Pletnikov MV.
Division of Neurobiology, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns
Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have been the focus of a great deal of research
and clinical speculation. This intense interest relates to both the perplexing
pathogenesis and devastating consequences of these disorders. One of the
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