Autism Studies and Related Medical Conditions, January 2009 - TACA

glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glucose-6-
phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) prior to or 48 h after exposure. Rats fed the
dietary supplements, and a control group maintained on an unsupplemented
diet, for 30 d, were each divided into 2 subgroups, of which 1 was exposed to
4.5 absolute atmospheres (ATA) of 100% oxygen for 30 min, hereafter referred
to as "exposed". The remaining subgroups were left unexposed. Pre-exposure
GSSG-R activity in brain was elevated in all experimentally fed groups (ranging
from 23 to 84%) compared with the unexposed control, whereas GSH-Px, G-6-
PD and SOD activities were unchanged. The lungs showed significant increases
in pre-exposure GSSG-R, ranging from 15 to 28%, and GSH-Px, ranging from 13
to 23%, activities in all the groups fed the supplemental nutrients, except those
on Vit E alone. Increases in G-6-PD activity were observed only in those fed
supplements of Rib. In most cases exposure to oxygen caused an increase in
GSSG-R, GSH-Px and G-6-PD activities. However the increases were higher in the
supplemented groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Boso, M., E. Emanuele, et al. (2006). "Alterations of circulating endogenous secretory
RAGE and S100A9 levels indicating dysfunction of the AGE-RAGE axis in autism."
Neurosci Lett 410(3): 169-73.
An excess accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) has been
reported in autism brains. Through their interaction with their putative receptor
RAGE, AGEs can promote neuroinflammation, oxidative stress and neuronal
degeneration. To shed more light on the possible alterations of the AGEs-RAGE
axis in autism, hereto we measured plasma levels of endogenous secretory RAGE
(esRAGE) and its proinflammatory ligand S100A9 in 18 young adults with autistic
spectrum disorder (ASD) and 18 age- and gender-matched healthy comparison
subjects. The Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) was used to assess the
severity of autistic symptoms. Significantly reduced levels of esRAGE (P =
0.0023) and elevated concentrations of S100A9 (P = 0.0012) were found in ASD
patients as compared to controls. In autistic patients, there was a statistically
significant positive correlation between CARS scores and S100A9 levels (r = 0.49,
P = 0.035), but no significant correlation was seen between esRAGE and S100A9
values (r = -0.23, P = 0.34). Our results of a significantly reduced peripheral
level of esRAGE coupled with elevated S100A9 point to a subtle but definite
dysfunction of the AGEs/RAGE axis in autism that could play a role in the
pathophysiology of this disorder.
Bransfield, R. C., J. S. Wulfman, et al. (2007). "The association between tick-borne
infections, Lyme borreliosis and autism spectrum disorders." Med Hypotheses.
Chronic infectious diseases, including tick-borne infections such as Borrelia
burgdorferi may have direct effects, promote other infections and create a
weakened, sensitized and immunologically vulnerable state during fetal
development and infancy leading to increased vulnerability for developing autism
spectrum disorders. A dysfunctional synergism with other predisposing and
Autism Studies & Related Medical Conditions – TACA © Page 74