FGF-21 and 8-OHdG Biomarkers in Drug-Naïve Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neuropsychiatric condition characterized by significant difficulties in social communication and repetitive behaviours, with multifactorial causes that include genetic predisposition and environmental factors. Recent studies have highlighted altered levels of specific biomarkers associated with DNA damage in children with ASD. These alterations become more evident due to increased oxidative stress, a common feature in individuals diagnosed with ASD. This study aimed to investigate plasma levels of FGF-21-an endogenous protein with metabolic and, primarily, neuroprotective functions-and its relationship with the biomarker 8OHdG, which is widely recognized as an indicator of oxidative stress and cellular and DNA damage. The research included 29 drug-naive children diagnosed with ASD and 31 healthy control children. The 8OHdG result showed a statistically significant difference when comparing patients diagnosed with ASD to healthy controls (t = 2.768, df = 58, p = 0.004), indicating a relevant difference in the levels of this biomarker and DNA damage between patients with ASD and controls. In contrast, the analysis of FGF-21 (p = 0.44) did not show a significant difference in both groups. These findings pave the way for future research that may lead to innovative therapeutic approaches for the treatment of children with ASD, focusing on reducing oxidative stress and DNA repair.