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Serum level of desert hedgehog protein in autism spectrum disorder: preliminary results
Shahid Bashir1, Dost Muhammad Halepoto, Laila Al-Ayadhi
1Division of Cognitive Neurology, Berenson-Allen Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation, Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass., USA.
Insights
Serum levels of desert hedgehog (Dhh) protein were lower in children with autism. This suggests Dhh may play a role in autism development, warranting further research in larger populations.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder.
- The precise biological mechanisms underlying autism remain incompletely understood.
- The role of specific proteins in autism pathogenesis requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the potential involvement of desert hedgehog (Dhh) protein in the physiological processes of autism.
- To compare serum Dhh levels between children diagnosed with autism and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Serum samples were collected from 57 children with autism and 37 age-matched healthy children.
- Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was utilized to quantify Dhh protein concentrations.
- The Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) was employed to assess the severity of autism symptoms.
Main Results:
- Mean serum Dhh levels were significantly lower in the autism group (1.38 ± 0.50 ng/ml) compared to controls (1.73 ± 0.37 ng/ml) (p = 0.0003).
- No significant correlation was observed between serum Dhh levels and autism severity (CARS score), age, or gender.
Conclusions:
- Reduced serum Dhh levels in individuals with autism suggest a potential role in the disorder's physiology.
- These findings indicate that Dhh may be implicated in the development or manifestation of autism.
- Further research with larger cohorts is recommended to validate these preliminary findings and explore the functional significance of Dhh in autism.
Objective:
To investigate the role of desert hedgehog (Dhh) in a neurodevelopmental disorder known as autism.
Subjects And Methods:
This study was conducted at the Autism Research and Treatment Center, King Khalid University Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from October 2011 to May 2012. The serum levels of the Dhh protein in 57 patients recently diagnosed with autism and 37 age-matched healthy children were measured using ELISA. The Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) was used for the assessment of autistic severity.
Results:
The mean serum level of Dhh in patients with autism (1.38 ± 0.50 ng/ml) was significantly lower (p = 0.0003) than that of normal controls (1.73 ± 0.37 ng/ml). There was no significant relationship between the serum level of Dhh and the CARS score (p = 0.28), age (p = 0.51) or gender (p = 0.76).
Conclusions:
The Dhh serum level of patients with autism was lower than that of controls, probably indicating that the serum level of Dhh might be implicated in the physiology of autism. However, this finding should be treated with caution until further investigations are performed with larger populations.
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01:19Autism Spectrum Disorder
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02:33Hedgehog Signaling Pathway
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