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Ziliotto M, Kulmann-Leal B, Kaminski VDL, Nunes GT, Riesgo RDS, Roman T, Schuch JB, Chies JAB. HLA-G*14 bp indel variant in autism spectrum disorder in a population from southern Brazil. J Neuroimmunol 2023; 383:578194. [PMID: 37683302 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2023.578194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Altered immune response during pregnancy has been associated with ASD susceptibility. HLA-G is expressed by the trophoblast at the maternal/fetal interface and induces allogenic tolerance toward the fetus. A 14-bp insertion in the HLA-G 3'UTR (rs371194629) was associated with reduced levels of HLA-G. We aimed to assess the influence of the HLA-G*14 bp indel variant in ASD susceptibility and symptomatology in a Brazilian admixed sample. The insertion genotype (14 bp+/14 bp+) was firstly associated with hetero aggression, but statistical significance was lost after correction (p = 0.035, pcorrected = 0.35). No association between the HLA-G variant and susceptibility to ASD or differential clinical manifestations were observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Ziliotto
- Laboratory of Immunobiology and Immunogenetics, Department of Genetics, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Post Graduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Bruna Kulmann-Leal
- Laboratory of Immunobiology and Immunogenetics, Department of Genetics, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Post Graduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Valéria de Lima Kaminski
- Post Graduate Program in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Universidade Anhembi Morumbi, São José dos Campos, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Tyska Nunes
- Laboratory of Immunobiology and Immunogenetics, Department of Genetics, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Rudimar Dos Santos Riesgo
- Child Neurology Unit, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Tatiana Roman
- Laboratory of Psychiatric Genetics, Department of Genetics, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Jaqueline Bohrer Schuch
- Laboratory of Psychiatric Genetics, Department of Genetics, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Graduate Program in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - José Artur Bogo Chies
- Laboratory of Immunobiology and Immunogenetics, Department of Genetics, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
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Matrone C, Ferretti G. Semaphorin 3A influences neuronal processes that are altered in patients with autism spectrum disorder: Potential diagnostic and therapeutic implications. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 153:105338. [PMID: 37524141 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a pervasive disorder that most frequently manifests in early childhood and lasts for their entire lifespan. Several behavioural traits characterise the phenotype of patients with ASD, including difficulties in reciprocal social communication as well as compulsive/repetitive stereotyped verbal and non-verbal behaviours. Although multiple hypotheses have been proposed to explain the aetiology of ASD and many resources have been used to improve our understanding of ASD, several aspects remain largely unexplored. Class 3 semaphorins (SEMA3) are secreted proteins involved in the organisation of structural and functional connectivity in the brain that regulate synaptic and dendritic development. Alterations in brain connectivity and aberrant neuronal development have been described in some patients with ASD. Mutations and polymorphisms in SEMA3A and alterations in its receptors and signalling have been associated with some neurological disorders such as schizophrenia and epilepsy, which are comorbidities in ASD, but also with ASD itself. In addition, SEMA3A is a key regulator of the immune response and neuroinflammatory processes, which have been found to be dysregulated in mothers of children who develop ASD and in affected patients. In this review, we highlight neurodevelopmental-related processes in which SEMA3A is involved, which are altered in ASD, and provide a viewpoint emphasising the development of strategies targeting changes in the SEMA3A signal to identify patterns of anomalies distinctive of ASD or to predict the prognosis of affected patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmela Matrone
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Naples "Federico II", Via Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy.
| | - Gabriella Ferretti
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine, University of Naples "Federico II", Via Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
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3
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Tamouza R, Volt F, Richard JR, Wu CL, Bouassida J, Boukouaci W, Lansiaux P, Cappelli B, Scigliuolo GM, Rafii H, Kenzey C, Mezouad E, Naamoune S, Chami L, Lejuste F, Farge D, Gluckman E. Possible Effect of the use of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells in the Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Review. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:809686. [PMID: 35865626 PMCID: PMC9294632 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.809686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) represents a set of heterogeneous neurodevelopmental conditions defined by impaired social interactions and repetitive behaviors. The number of reported cases has increased over the past decades, and ASD is now a major public health burden. So far, only treatments to alleviate symptoms are available, with still unmet need for an effective disease treatment to reduce ASD core symptoms. Genetic predisposition alone can only explain a small fraction of the ASD cases. It has been reported that environmental factors interacting with specific inter-individual genetic background may induce immune dysfunctions and contribute to the incidence of ASD. Such dysfunctions can be observed at the central level, with increased microglial cells and activation in ASD brains or in the peripheral blood, as reflected by high circulating levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, abnormal activation of T-cell subsets, presence of auto-antibodies and of dysregulated microbiota profiles. Altogether, the dysfunction of immune processes may result from immunogenetically-determined inefficient immune responses against a given challenge followed by chronic inflammation and autoimmunity. In this context, immunomodulatory therapies might offer a valid therapeutic option. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) immunoregulatory and immunosuppressive properties constitute a strong rationale for their use to improve ASD clinical symptoms. In vitro studies and pre-clinical models have shown that MSC can induce synapse formation and enhance synaptic function with consequent improvement of ASD-like symptoms in mice. In addition, two preliminary human trials based on the infusion of cord blood-derived MSC showed the safety and tolerability of the procedure in children with ASD and reported promising clinical improvement of core symptoms. We review herein the immune dysfunctions associated with ASD provided, the rationale for using MSC to treat patients with ASD and summarize the current available studies addressing this subject.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryad Tamouza
- Translational Neuropsychiatry, INSERM, IMRB, DMU, AP-HP, Univ Paris Est Créteil, Créteil, France
- *Correspondence: Ryad Tamouza,
| | - Fernanda Volt
- Institut de Recherche Saint Louis (IRSL), Eurocord, Hôpital Saint Louis, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Romain Richard
- Translational Neuropsychiatry, INSERM, IMRB, Univ Paris Est Créteil, Créteil, France
| | - Ching-Lien Wu
- Translational Neuropsychiatry, INSERM, IMRB, Univ Paris Est Créteil, Créteil, France
| | - Jihène Bouassida
- Translational Neuropsychiatry, INSERM, IMRB, Univ Paris Est Créteil, Créteil, France
| | - Wahid Boukouaci
- Translational Neuropsychiatry, INSERM, IMRB, Univ Paris Est Créteil, Créteil, France
| | - Pauline Lansiaux
- Unité de Médecine Interne (UF 04), CRMR MATHEC, Maladies Auto-immunes et Thérapie Cellulaire, Centre de Référence des Maladies Auto-immunes Systémiques Rares D’Ile-de-France MATHEC, AP-HP, Hôpital St-Louis, Paris, France
| | - Barbara Cappelli
- Institut de Recherche Saint Louis (IRSL), Eurocord, Hôpital Saint Louis, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Monacord, Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Monaco, Monaco
| | - Graziana Maria Scigliuolo
- Institut de Recherche Saint Louis (IRSL), Eurocord, Hôpital Saint Louis, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Monacord, Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Monaco, Monaco
| | - Hanadi Rafii
- Institut de Recherche Saint Louis (IRSL), Eurocord, Hôpital Saint Louis, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Chantal Kenzey
- Institut de Recherche Saint Louis (IRSL), Eurocord, Hôpital Saint Louis, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Esma Mezouad
- Translational Neuropsychiatry, INSERM, IMRB, DMU, AP-HP, Univ Paris Est Créteil, Créteil, France
| | - Soumia Naamoune
- Translational Neuropsychiatry, INSERM, IMRB, DMU, AP-HP, Univ Paris Est Créteil, Créteil, France
| | - Leila Chami
- Translational Neuropsychiatry, INSERM, IMRB, DMU, AP-HP, Univ Paris Est Créteil, Créteil, France
| | - Florian Lejuste
- Translational Neuropsychiatry, INSERM, IMRB, DMU, AP-HP, Univ Paris Est Créteil, Créteil, France
| | - Dominique Farge
- Unité de Médecine Interne (UF 04), CRMR MATHEC, Maladies Auto-immunes et Thérapie Cellulaire, Centre de Référence des Maladies Auto-immunes Systémiques Rares D’Ile-de-France MATHEC, AP-HP, Hôpital St-Louis, Paris, France
| | - Eliane Gluckman
- Institut de Recherche Saint Louis (IRSL), Eurocord, Hôpital Saint Louis, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
- Monacord, Centre Scientifique de Monaco, Monaco, Monaco
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Cai C, Yin Z, Liu A, Wang H, Zeng S, Wang Z, Qiu H, Li S, Zhou J, Wang M. Identifying Rare Genetic Variants of Immune Mediators as Risk Factors for Autism Spectrum Disorder. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:1098. [PMID: 35741860 PMCID: PMC9223212 DOI: 10.3390/genes13061098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects more than 1% of children, and there is no viable pharmacotherapeutic agent to treat the core symptoms of ASD. Studies have shown that children with ASD show changes in their levels of immune response molecules. Our previous studies have shown that ASD is more common in children with folate receptor autoantibodies. We also found that children with ASD have abnormal gut immune function, which was characterized by a significant increase in the content of immunoglobulin A and an increase in gut-microbiota-associated epitope diversity. These studies suggest that the immune mechanism plays an important role in the occurrence of ASD. The present study aims to systematically assess gene mutations in immune mediators in patients with ASD. We collected genetic samples from 72 children with ASD (2−12 years old) and 107 healthy controls without ASD (20−78 years old). We used our previously-designed immune gene panel, which can capture cytokine and receptor genes, the coding regions of MHC genes, and genes of innate immunity. Target region sequencing (500×) and bioinformatics analytical methods were used to identify variants in immune response genes associated with patients with ASD. A total of 4 rare variants were found to be associated with ASD, including HLA-B: p.A93G, HLA-DQB1: p.S229N, LILRB2: p.R322H, and LILRB2: c.956-4C>T. These variants were present in 44.44% (32/72) of the ASD patients and were detected in 3.74% (4/107) of the healthy controls. We expect these genetic variants will serve as new targets for the clinical genetic assessment of ASD, and our findings suggest that immune abnormalities in children with ASD may have a genetic basis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunquan Cai
- Tianjin Pediatric Research Institute, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Birth Defects for Prevention and Treatment, Tianjin Children’s Hospital (Children’s Hospital of Tianjin University), No. 238 Longyan Road, Beichen District, Tianjin 300134, China;
| | - Zhaoqing Yin
- Division of Neonatology, The People’s Hospital of Dehong Autonomous Prefecture, Mangshi 678400, China;
| | - Aiping Liu
- The Department of Laboratory, Public Health Service Center of Bao’an District, Bao’an District, Shenzhen 518018, China;
| | - Hui Wang
- Xiamen Branch of Children’s Hospital of Fudan University (Xiamen Children’s Hospital), Xiamen 361006, China;
| | - Shujuan Zeng
- Division of Neonatology, Longgang Central Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518116, China; (S.Z.); (H.Q.)
| | - Zhangxing Wang
- Division of Neonatology, Shenzhen Longhua People’s Hospital, Shenzhen 518109, China;
| | - Huixian Qiu
- Division of Neonatology, Longgang Central Hospital of Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518116, China; (S.Z.); (H.Q.)
| | - Shijun Li
- Department of Radiology, Chinese People’s Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China
| | - Jiaxiu Zhou
- Division of Psychology, Shenzhen Children’s Hospital, Shenzhen 518038, China
| | - Mingbang Wang
- Microbiome Therapy Center, South China Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518111, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Birth Defects, Division of Neonatology, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai 201102, China
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5
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Carta A, Zarbo IR, Scoppola C, Pisuttu G, Conti M, Melis MC, Martino FD, Serra A, Biancu MA, Guerini FR, Bazzardi R, Sotgiu S. Maternal multiple sclerosis is not a risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring. Mult Scler J Exp Transl Clin 2021; 7:20552173211017301. [PMID: 34104473 PMCID: PMC8165841 DOI: 10.1177/20552173211017301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Childhood neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs), including specific learning disorders (SLD), attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), are pathogenically linked to familial autoimmunity and maternal immune-mediated diseases during pregnancy. Objective We studied maternal MS as a potential risk factor for NDDs occurrence in offspring. Methods MS and control mothers were subjected to questionnaires to ascertain NDD diagnosis in their progeny and the occurrence of both autoimmune and neurodevelopment disorders in their families. Suspected NDD cases were evaluated to confirm or rule out the diagnosis. Results Of the 322 MS women, 206 (64%) have 361 children; of these, 27 (7.5%) were diagnosed with NDD (11% ADHD; 22% ASD; 67% SLD). NDD-risk in offspring was associated to family history of autoimmunity and to NDDs both in MS and non-MS mother families (r = 0.75; p = 0.005) whereas it was not associated to maternal MS. Conclusions For the first time, we demonstrate that maternal MS does not predispose children to higher risk for NDD. On a mechanistic view, we suggest that the intrinsic organ-specific nature of MS does not impair the mother–child cross-talk in decidua nor does it influence fetal neurodevelopment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Carta
- Unit of Child Neuropsychiatry, Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Ignazio R Zarbo
- Unit of Clinical Neurology, Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, Multiple Sclerosis Centre, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Chiara Scoppola
- Unit of Child Neuropsychiatry, Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Giulia Pisuttu
- Unit of Child Neuropsychiatry, Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Marta Conti
- Unit of Child Neuropsychiatry, Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Maria C Melis
- Unit of Child Neuropsychiatry, Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Federica De Martino
- Unit of Child Neuropsychiatry, Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Antonella Serra
- Unit of Child Neuropsychiatry, Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | - Maria A Biancu
- Unit of Clinical Neurology, Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, Multiple Sclerosis Centre, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
| | | | - Riccardo Bazzardi
- Struttura Complessa Controllo Microbiologico e Ispezione degli Alimenti, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna "G. Pegreffi", Sassari, Italy
| | - Stefano Sotgiu
- Unit of Child Neuropsychiatry, Department of Medical, Surgical and Experimental Sciences, University of Sassari, Sassari, Italy
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Tamouza R, Krishnamoorthy R, Leboyer M. Understanding the genetic contribution of the human leukocyte antigen system to common major psychiatric disorders in a world pandemic context. Brain Behav Immun 2021; 91:731-739. [PMID: 33031918 PMCID: PMC7534661 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2020.09.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) is a complex genetic system that encodes proteins which predominantly regulate immune/inflammatory processes. It can be involved in a variety of immuno-inflammatory disorders ranging from infections to autoimmunity and cancers. The HLA system is also suggested to be involved in neurodevelopment and neuroplasticity, especially through microglia regulation and synaptic pruning. Consequently, this highly polymorphic gene region has recently emerged as a major player in the etiology of several major psychiatric disorders, such as schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder and bipolar disorder and with less evidence for major depressive disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. We thus review here the role of HLA genes in particular subgroups of psychiatric disorders and foresee their potential implication in future research. In particular, given the prominent role that the HLA system plays in the regulation of viral infection, this review is particularly timely in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryad Tamouza
- Université Paris Est Créteil, INSERM U955, IMRB, Laboratoire Neuro-Psychiatrie Translationnelle, F-94010 Creteil, France; AP-HP, Hopital Henri Mondor, Département Medico-Universitaire de Psychiatrie et d'Addictologie (DMU ADAPT), F-94010, France; Fondation FondaMental, Créteil, France.
| | | | - Marion Leboyer
- Université Paris Est Créteil, INSERM U955, IMRB, Laboratoire Neuro-Psychiatrie Translationnelle, F-94010 Creteil, France; AP-HP, Hopital Henri Mondor, Département Medico-Universitaire de Psychiatrie et d'Addictologie (DMU ADAPT), F-94010, France; Fondation FondaMental, Créteil, France
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7
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Ebrahimi Meimand S, Rostam-Abadi Y, Rezaei N. Autism spectrum disorders and natural killer cells: a review on pathogenesis and treatment. Expert Rev Clin Immunol 2020; 17:27-35. [PMID: 33191807 DOI: 10.1080/1744666x.2020.1850273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as a wide spectrum of neurodevelopmental disorders, is characterized by early-onset impairments in social-communication, repetitive behaviors, and restrictive interests.Areas covered: Although still unknown, there are some pieces of evidence suggesting altered immune function in the etiology of ASD. This review aims to summarize studies linking Natural Killer (NK) cells to ASD by searching through databases like MEDLINE and Scopus up to October 2020. NK cells play important roles in the innate immune system and immune regulation. As parts of the immune system, they interact with the neural system as well. Immune dysregulations such as autoimmunity and improper immune responses to both internal and external stimulations, especially in early developmental stages of the brain, may induce neurodevelopmental disorders. NK cells' dysfunction in children with ASD as well as their parents have been highlighted in many studies.Expert opinion: Changes in the frequency, gene expressions, cytotoxicity features, and receptors of NK cells are reported in children with ASD. Immune therapy for children with ASD with immune abnormality has shown promising results. However, further studies are needed to elucidate the exact role of NK cells in the pathogenesis of ASD providing future treatment options for these children.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sepideh Ebrahimi Meimand
- School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Research Center for Immunodeficiencies, Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Yasna Rostam-Abadi
- School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Research Center for Immunodeficiencies, Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Iranian National Center for Addiction Studies (INCAS), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Nima Rezaei
- School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Research Center for Immunodeficiencies, Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy and Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
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8
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Bennabi M, Tarantino N, Gaman A, Scheid I, Krishnamoorthy R, Debré P, Bouleau A, Caralp M, Gueguen S, Le-Moal ML, Bouvard M, Amestoy A, Delorme R, Leboyer M, Tamouza R, Vieillard V. Persistence of dysfunctional natural killer cells in adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders: stigma/consequence of unresolved early infectious events? Mol Autism 2019; 10:22. [PMID: 31123562 PMCID: PMC6521549 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-019-0269-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2019] [Accepted: 03/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are characterized by abnormal neurodevelopment, genetic, and environmental risk factors, as well as immune dysfunctions. Several lines of evidence suggest alterations in innate immune responses in children with ASD. To address this question in adults with high-functioning ASD (hf-ASD), we sought to investigate the role of natural killer (NK) cells in the persistence of ASD. Methods NK cells from 35 adults with hf-ASD were compared to that of 35 healthy controls (HC), selected for the absence of any immune dysfunctions, at different time-points, and over a 2-year follow-up period for four patients. The phenotype and polyfunctional capacities of NK cells were explored according to infectious stigma and clinical parameters (IQ, social, and communication scores). Results As compared to HC, NK cells from patients with hf-ASD showed a high level of cell activation (p < 0.0001), spontaneous degranulation (p < 0.0001), and interferon-gamma production (p = 0.0004), whereas they were exhausted after in vitro stimulations (p = 0.0006). These data yielded a specific HLA-DR+KIR2DL1+NKG2C+ NK-cell signature. Significant overexpression of NKG2C in hf-ASD patients (p = 0.0005), indicative of viral infections, was inversely correlated with the NKp46 receptor level (r = − 0.67; p < 0.0001), regardless of the IgG status of tested pathogens. Multivariate linear regression analysis also revealed that expression of the late-activating HLA-DR marker was both associated with structural language (r = 0.48; p = 0.007) and social awareness (r = 0.60; p = 0.0007) scores in adult patients with hf-ASD, while KIR2DL1 expression correlated with IQ scores (p = 0.0083). Conclusions This study demonstrates that adults with hf-ASD have specific NK-cell profile. Presence of NKG2C overexpression together with high-level activation of NK cells suggest an association with underlying pathogens, a hypothesis warranting further exploration in future studies. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13229-019-0269-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meriem Bennabi
- 1INSERM, U1160, Hôpital Saint Louis, Paris, France.,2Fondation FondaMental, Créteil, France.,4DHU PePSY, Department of psychiatry, Mondor Hospital, Université Paris Est Créteil, INSERM, U955, Psychiatrie Translationnelle, Créteil, France
| | - Nadine Tarantino
- 3Sorbonne Université, UPMC, INSERM U1135, CNRS ERL8255, Centre d'Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses (CIMI-Paris), Paris, France
| | - Alexandru Gaman
- 2Fondation FondaMental, Créteil, France.,4DHU PePSY, Department of psychiatry, Mondor Hospital, Université Paris Est Créteil, INSERM, U955, Psychiatrie Translationnelle, Créteil, France
| | - Isabelle Scheid
- 2Fondation FondaMental, Créteil, France.,4DHU PePSY, Department of psychiatry, Mondor Hospital, Université Paris Est Créteil, INSERM, U955, Psychiatrie Translationnelle, Créteil, France
| | | | - Patrice Debré
- 3Sorbonne Université, UPMC, INSERM U1135, CNRS ERL8255, Centre d'Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses (CIMI-Paris), Paris, France
| | - Arthur Bouleau
- 4DHU PePSY, Department of psychiatry, Mondor Hospital, Université Paris Est Créteil, INSERM, U955, Psychiatrie Translationnelle, Créteil, France
| | - Mireille Caralp
- 5Inserm Transfer, Paris, France.,6French Institute of Health and Medical Research, Paris, France
| | - Sonia Gueguen
- 5Inserm Transfer, Paris, France.,6French Institute of Health and Medical Research, Paris, France
| | | | - Manuel Bouvard
- 2Fondation FondaMental, Créteil, France.,8Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d'Aquitaine, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Anouck Amestoy
- 2Fondation FondaMental, Créteil, France.,8Institut de Neurosciences Cognitives et Intégratives d'Aquitaine, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Richard Delorme
- 2Fondation FondaMental, Créteil, France.,DHU Protect, Service de Psychiatrie de l'Enfant et de l'Adolescent, Hôpital Robert Debré, Département de Génétique Humaine et Fonctions Cognitives, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Marion Leboyer
- 2Fondation FondaMental, Créteil, France.,4DHU PePSY, Department of psychiatry, Mondor Hospital, Université Paris Est Créteil, INSERM, U955, Psychiatrie Translationnelle, Créteil, France
| | - Ryad Tamouza
- 1INSERM, U1160, Hôpital Saint Louis, Paris, France.,2Fondation FondaMental, Créteil, France.,4DHU PePSY, Department of psychiatry, Mondor Hospital, Université Paris Est Créteil, INSERM, U955, Psychiatrie Translationnelle, Créteil, France
| | - Vincent Vieillard
- 3Sorbonne Université, UPMC, INSERM U1135, CNRS ERL8255, Centre d'Immunologie et des Maladies Infectieuses (CIMI-Paris), Paris, France
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