Torasemide Improves the Propionic Acid-Induced Autism in Rats: A Histopathological and Imaging Study

Autism spectrum disorder and a possible role of anti-inflammatory treatments: experience in the pediatric allergy/immunology clinic

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD1) is a behaviorally defined syndrome encompassing a markedly heterogeneous patient population. Many ASD subjects fail to respond to the 1st line behavioral and pharmacological interventions, leaving parents to seek out other treatment options. Evidence supports that neuroinflammation plays a role in ASD pathogenesis. However, the underlying mechanisms likely vary for each ASD patient, influenced by genetic, epigenetic, and environmental factors. Although anti-inflammatory treatment measures, mainly based on metabolic changes and oxidative stress, have provided promising results in some ASD subjects, the use of such measures requires the careful selection of ASD subjects based on clinical and laboratory findings. Recent progress in neuroscience and molecular immunology has made it possible to allow re-purposing of currently available anti-inflammatory medications, used for autoimmune and other chronic inflammatory conditions, as treatment options for ASD subjects. On the other hand, emerging anti-inflammatory medications, including biologic and gate-keeper blockers, exert powerful anti-inflammatory effects on specific mediators or signaling pathways. It will require both a keen understanding of the mechanisms of action of such agents and the careful selection of ASD patients suitable for each treatment. This review will attempt to summarize the use of anti-inflammatory agents already used in targeting ASD patients, and then emerging anti-inflammatory measures applicable for ASD subjects based on scientific rationale and clinical trial data, if available. In our experience, some ASD patients were treated under diagnoses of autoimmune/autoinflammatory conditions and/or post-infectious neuroinflammation. However, there are little clinical trial data specifically for ASD subjects. Therefore, these emerging immunomodulating agents for potential use for ASD subjects will be discussed based on preclinical data, case reports, or data generated in patients with other medical conditions. This review will hopefully highlight the expanding scope of immunomodulating agents for treating neuroinflammation in ASD subjects.

Roles of Epigenetics and Glial Cells in Drug-Induced Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by severe deficits in social communication and interaction, repetitive movements, abnormal focusing on objects, or activity that can significantly affect the quality of life of the afflicted. Neuronal and glial cells have been implicated. It has a genetic component but can also be triggered by environmental factors or drugs. For example, prenatal exposure to valproic acid or acetaminophen, or ingestion of propionic acid, can increase the risk of ASD. Recently, epigenetic influences on ASD have come to the forefront of investigations on the etiology, prevention, and treatment of this disorder. Epigenetics refers to DNA modifications that alter gene expression without making any changes to the DNA sequence. Although an increasing number of pharmaceuticals and environmental chemicals are being implicated in the etiology of ASD, here, we specifically focus on the molecular influences of the abovementioned chemicals on epigenetic alterations in neuronal and glial cells and their potential connection to ASD. We conclude that a better understanding of these phenomena can lead to more effective interventions in ASD.

Plant-mediated green synthesis of gold nanoparticles using an aqueous extract of Passiflora ligularis, optimization, characterizations, and their neuroprotective effect on propionic acid-induced autism in Wistar rats

The current study was conducted to examine an innovative method for synthesizing gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) from an aqueous sweet granadilla (Passiflora ligularis Juss) P. ligularis. Furthermore, the synthesized AuNPs were used to explore their potential neuroprotective impact against propionic acid (PPA)-induced autism. A sweet granadilla extract was used to achieve the synthesis of AuNPs. The structural and dimensional dispersion of AuNPs were confirmed by different techniques, including UV-Vis spectrophotometer (UV-Vis), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) Pattern, Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX), Zeta potential, and High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) analysis. The AuNPs mediated by P. ligularis adopt a spherical shape morphology and the particle size was distributed in the range of 8.43-13 nm without aggregation. Moreover, in vivo, the anti-autistic effects of AuNPs administration were higher than those of P. ligularis extract per second. In addition, the reduced anxiety and neurobehavioral deficits of AuNPs were observed in autistic rats which halted the brain oxidative stress, reduced inflammatory cytokines, ameliorated neurotransmitters, and neurochemical release, and suppressed apoptotic genes (p < 0.05). The alleviated antiapoptotic gene expression and histopathological analysis confirmed that the treatment of AuNPs showed significant neural pathways that aid in reducing tissue damage and necrosis. The results emphasize that the biomedical activity was increased by using the green source synthesis P. ligularis -AuNPs. Additionally, the formulation of AuNPs demonstrates strong neuroprotective effects against PPA-induced autism that were arbitrated by a range of different mechanisms, such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, neuromodulator, and antiapoptotic effects.

Neuron-Specific Enolase (NSE) as a Biomarker for Autistic Spectrum Disease (ASD)

Autistic spectrum disease (ASD) is an increasingly common diagnosis nowadays with a prevalence of 1-2% in most countries. Its complex causality-a combination of genetic, immune, metabolic, and environmental factors-is translated into pleiomorphic developmental disorders of various severity, which have two main aspects in common: repetitive, restrictive behaviors and difficulties in social interaction varying from awkward habits and verbalization to a complete lack of interest for the outside world. The wide variety of ASD causes also makes it very difficult to find a common denominator-a disease biomarker and medication-and currently, there is no commonly used diagnostic and therapeutic strategy besides clinical evaluation and psychotherapy. In the CORDUS clinical study, we have administered autologous cord blood to ASD kids who had little or no improvement after other treatments and searched for a biomarker which could help predict the degree of improvement in each patient. We have found that the neuron-specific enolase (NSE) was elevated above the normal clinical range (less than 16.3 ng/mL) in the vast majority of ASD kids tested in our study (40 of 41, or 97.5%). This finding opens up a new direction for diagnostic confirmation, dynamic evaluation, and therapeutic intervention for ASD kids.