Antibodies to myelin basic protein in children with autistic behavior

Brain Behav Immun. 1993 Mar;7(1):97-103. doi: 10.1006/brbi.1993.1010.

Abstract

Based on a possible pathological relationship of autoimmunity to autism, antibodies reactive with myelin basic protein (anti-MBP) were investigated in the sera of autistic children. Using a screening serum dilution of 1:400 in the protein-immunoblotting technique, approximately 58% (19 of 33) sera of autistic children (< or = 10 years of age) were found to be positive for anti-MBP. This result in autistics was significantly (p < or = .0001) different from the controls (8 of 88 or only 9% positive), which included age-matched children with normal health, idiopathic mental retardation (MR) and Down syndrome (DS), and normal adults of 20 to 40 years of age. Since autism is a syndrome of unknown etiology, it is possible that anti-MBP antibodies are associated with the development of autistic behavior.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Antibody Specificity
  • Autistic Disorder / immunology*
  • Autoantibodies / blood*
  • Autoantibodies / immunology
  • Autoimmune Diseases / immunology*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Down Syndrome / immunology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Intellectual Disability / immunology
  • Male
  • Myelin Basic Protein / immunology*
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / immunology

Substances

  • Autoantibodies
  • Myelin Basic Protein
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins