Thread: Autism linked to brain-attacking antibodies

Autism linked to brain-attacking antibodies

By Bradley J. Fikes4 a.m.July 9, 2013

(Note: This story will be updated later in the day.)
About 23 percent of autism cases appear to be caused by certain antibodies from pregnant mothers that interfere with fetal brain development, according to two studies from UC Davis researchers.
The findings, if corroborated, mean that a large segment of autism spectrum disorder cases could be identified with near-perfect accuracy, even before symptoms manifest. But the research doesn't shed light on the great majority of other cases of ASD; in which a variety of factors appear to be involved.
Seven proteins active in fetal brains were targeted by the maternal antibodies, said researcher Judy Van de Water, who took part in both studies. Normally, maternal antibodies protect the unborn child from infection. If the antibodies reacted to these proteins, the correlation with having a child with autism is 99 percent, Van de Water said.
The studies were published in the open access journal Translational Psychiatry. One study, led by Van de Water, is here. The second, led by UC Davis colleague Melissa Bauman, is here. Open access means the complete studies are free to readers.
Right, Judy Van de Water, of UC Davis' MIND Institute, confers with a colleague in her lab. — UC Regents San Diego-based Pediatric Biosciences is developing a clinical test for these antibodies, said Jan D’Alvise, CEO of the privately held company. The test is expected to be commercially available in late 2014.
Such a test would let prospective mothers know before getting pregnant if they had these autism-specific antibodies, said Van de Water, who is Pediatric Bioscience's chief scientific adviser. This knowledge would allow them to avoid that risk by having their child carried by a surrogate mother.
In another scenario, a mother who is pregnant or has a child too young to assess for autism could take the test. If the test is positive, the infant could be started on therapy even before signs of autism appeared. Because young brains are the most plastic, the earlier therapy is started, the better the results, Van de Water said.
While more work is needed before a test can be approved, Van de Water said the study results were solid, and she is confident in their accuracy.
Eric Courchesne, a UCSD researcher into the neurobiology of autism, was cautious in evaluating the results. He said the study covers an important area of research, identifying molecular markers in those with autism.
"The study suggests an important future study: Do mothers who already have an ASD child and these markers, have an increased risk of having another child with ASD?" Courchesne asked.
Autism and maternal antibodies

A study led by Judy Van de Water of UC Davis finds that 23 percent of those with autism spectrum disorders have mothers with a specific combination of autoantibodies that attack seven proteins involved in fetal brain development.

The study builds on previous research by Van De Water and colleagues that found women with certain antibodies were at greater risk of having a child with autism than woman without the antibodies.
About 1 in 88 children are diagnosed with ASD, according to the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Van de Water led one study, which identified the seven fetal brain proteins and the antibodies that attack the proteins. The study found certain combinations of antibodies that were found in 23 percent of mothers of ASD children, but in less than 1 percent of a control group of mothers who did not have ASD children.

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/Jul/09/autism-maternal/