Elevated IL-16 expression is associated with development of immune dysfunction in children with autism

Intervention and research progress of gut microbiota-immune-nervous system in autism spectrum disorders among students

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by difficulties in social interaction and communication, repetitive and stereotyped behaviors, restricted interests, and sensory abnormalities. Its etiology is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors, with no definitive cause identified and no specific pharmacological treatments available, posing a significant burden on patients' families and society. In recent years, research has discovered that gut microbiota dysbiosis plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of ASD. The gut microbiota can influence brain function and behavior through the gut-brain axis via the nervous system, immune system, and metabolic pathways. On the one hand, specific gut microbes such as Clostridium and Prevotella species are found to be abnormal in ASD patients, and their metabolic products, like short-chain fatty acids, serotonin, and GABA, are also involved in the pathological process of ASD. On the other hand, ASD patients exhibit immune system dysfunction, with gut immune cells and related cytokines affecting neural activities in the brain. Currently, intervention methods targeting the gut microbiota, such as probiotics, prebiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation, have shown some potential in improving ASD symptoms. However, more studies are needed to explore their long-term effects and optimal treatment protocols. This paper reviews the mechanisms and interrelationships among gut microbiota, immune system, and nervous system in ASD and discusses the challenges and future directions of existing research, aiming to provide new insights for the prevention and treatment of ASD.

The investigation of peripheral inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers in dementia with Lewy Bodies, compared with Alzheimer's Disease, and mild cognitive impairment

Although inflammation and oxidative stress have been increasingly recognised as components of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD) pathologies. Few studies have investigated peripheral inflammation, and none have examined oxidative stress in Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). The purpose of our study was to characterize and compare those biomarkers in DLB with those in AD and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). Plasma samples were obtained from Chinese patients with DLB (n = 50), AD (n = 59), and aMCI (n = 30), and healthy controls (HCs) (n = 54). Peripheral inflammatory biomarkers, including interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), interleukins (IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-17A), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and C-reactive protein (CRP). Oxidative stress markers, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), were also assessed. The findings revealed that DLB patients had higher IL-6 levels than AD and HCs and elevated IL-10 and IL-17A levels compared to HCs. In terms of oxidative stress, the levels of SOD were significantly lower and MDA were significantly higher in the DLB and AD compared with HCs. Significant positive correlations were found between Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) scores and CRP levels. Our study identifies a unique peripheral immune and oxidative stress profile in DLB, characterized by elevated IL-6, MDA, and reduced SOD levels, distinguishing it from AD. These findings, linked to α-synuclein (α-Syn) pathology, provide novel insights into DLB mechanisms and highlight potential biomarkers for disease monitoring, targeted therapies, and future clinical trials.

Ketogenic diet as a therapeutic approach in autism spectrum disorder: a narrative review

The ketogenic diet (KD) originated in the 1920s. It is a dietary model that is low in carbohydrates, adequate in protein, and high in fat content. The diet mimics starvation and increases the production of ketone bodies, leading to ketosis in metabolism. KD is used as an anticonvulsant treatment approach in patients with drug-resistant epilepsy. In addition, it is thought that a KD may have therapeutic potential in the treatment of neurological disorders, including autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Numerous recent studies have demonstrated that a KD can improve behavioural parameters in individuals with ASD. This review aims to address the potential mechanisms of action of the KD and to examine the effects of the KD on individuals diagnosed with ASD. It is likely that this role is mediated through improvements in energy metabolism, reduction of pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, control of neurotransmitters, gene expression and modulation of the gut microbiota. Based on the available evidence, a KD appears to be a safe and effective treatment for ASD.

Causal effects of 731 immune cell phenotypes on autism spectrum disorder: a Mendelian randomization study

Objective

The role of different immune cells in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is still controversial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the causal effects of different immune cell phenotypes on ASD via Mendelian randomization (MR).

Methods

Datasets of immune cell phenotypes were obtained from the European Bioinformatics Institute, and datasets of ASD were obtained from the IEU Open GWAS project. Single nucleotide polymorphisms were selected based on the assumptions of association, independence, and exclusivity. Inverse variance weighted was utilized as the main method for MR analysis. MR-Egger was employed to assess the horizontal pleiotropy of the results. Cochran's Q and leave-one-out method were used for heterogeneity analysis and sensitivity analysis of the results, respectively.

Results

MR analysis showed that TD CD8br AC [odds ratio (OR), 1.137; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.031-1.254; p = 0.010], CD8br %leukocyte (OR, 1.142; 95% CI, 1.067-1.223; p < 0.001), CD8br and CD8dim %leukocyte (OR, 1.117; 95% CI, 1.032-1.210; p = 0.006), naive CD8br %T cell (OR, 1.052; 95% CI, 1.004-1.104; p = 0.035), CD28- CD8dim %T cell (OR, 1.097; 95% CI, 1.038-1.158; p < 0.001), CD127- CD8br AC (OR, 1.086; 95% CI, 1.006-1.171; p = 0.034), CD45 on CD8br (OR, 1.059; 95% CI, 1.021-1.099; p = 0.002), CD3 on HLA DR+ CD8br (OR, 1.098; 95% CI, 1.041-1.158; p < 0.001), CD4 on activated Treg (OR, 1.048; 95% CI, 1.001-1.096; p = 0.046), CD3 on CD39+ resting Treg (OR, 1.070; 95% CI, 1.012-1.131; p = 0.018), IgD+ CD38- %lymphocyte (OR, 1.103; 95% CI, 1.023-1.190; p = 0.011), CD62L- plasmacytoid DC %DC (OR, 1.046; 95% CI, 1.001-1.093; p = 0.046), and FSC-A on plasmacytoid DC (OR, 1.075; 95% CI, 1.003-1.153; p = 0.042) were associated with increased genetic susceptibility to ASD. MR-Egger displayed no horizontal pleiotropy (p ≥ 0.05). Cochran's Q revealed no heterogeneity of results (p ≥ 0.05). Sensitivity analysis indicated that the results were robust.

Conclusion

This MR analysis revealed 13 immune cell phenotypes associated with increased genetic susceptibility to ASD and emphasized the importance of CD8 T cells and Tregs, which provides new directions for the pathogenesis and drug research of ASD.

Dysregulated phosphate metabolism in autism spectrum disorder: associations and insights for future research

Studies of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) related to exposure to toxic levels of dietary phosphate are lacking. Phosphate toxicity from dysregulated phosphate metabolism can negatively impact almost every major organ system of the body, including the central nervous system. The present paper used a grounded theory-literature review method to synthesise associations of dysregulated phosphate metabolism with the aetiology of ASD. Cell signalling in autism has been linked to an altered balance between phosphoinositide kinases, which phosphorylate proteins, and the counteracting effect of phosphatases in neuronal membranes. Glial cell overgrowth in the developing ASD brain can lead to disturbances in neuro-circuitry, neuroinflammation and immune responses which are potentially related to excessive inorganic phosphate. The rise in ASD prevalence has been suggested to originate in changes to the gut microbiome from increasing consumption of additives in processed food, including phosphate additives. Ketogenic diets and dietary patterns that eliminate casein also reduce phosphate intake, which may account for many of the suggested benefits of these diets in children with ASD. Dysregulated phosphate metabolism is causatively linked to comorbid conditions associated with ASD such as cancer, tuberous sclerosis, mitochondrial dysfunction, diabetes, epilepsy, obesity, chronic kidney disease, tauopathy, cardiovascular disease and bone mineral disorders. Associations and proposals presented in this paper offer novel insights and directions for future research linking the aetiology of ASD with dysregulated phosphate metabolism and phosphate toxicity from excessive dietary phosphorus intake.

Correlation between elevated serum interleukin-1β, interleukin-16 levels and psychiatric symptoms in patients with schizophrenia at different stages

BACKGROUND

There is increasing evidence that immune dysfunction plays an important role in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. Meso Scale Discovery (MSD) is bioanalytical method, which can detect serum inflammatory factors in patients. MSD has higher sensitivities, capturing a narrower range of proteins compared to other methods typically used in similar studies. The present study was aimed to explore the correlation between the levels of serum inflammatory factors and psychiatric symptoms in patients with schizophrenia at different stages and investigate a wide panel of inflammatory factors as independent factors for the pathogenesis of schizophrenia.

METHODS

We recruited 116 participants, including patients with first-episode schizophrenia (FEG, n = 40), recurrence patients (REG, n = 40) with relapse-episode schizophrenia, and a control group (healthy people, HP, n = 36). Patients are diagnosed according to the DSM -V. The plasma levels of IFN-γ, IL-10, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, TNF-α, CRP, VEGF, IL-15, and IL-16 were tested by the MSD technique. Patient-related data was collected, including sociodemographic data, positive and negative symptom scale (PANSS), and brief psychiatric rating scale (BPRS) and subscale scores. The independent sample T test, χ2 test, Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), the least significant difference method (LSD), Spearman's correlation test, binary logistic regression analysis and ROC curve analysis were used in this study.

RESULTS

There were significant differences in serum IL-1β (F = 2.37, P = 0.014) and IL-16 (F = 4.40, P < 0.001) levels among the three groups. The level of serum IL-1β in the first-episode group was significantly higher than in the recurrence group (F = 0.87, P = 0.021) and control group (F = 2.03, P = 0.013), but there was no significant difference between the recurrence group and control group (F = 1.65, P = 0.806). The serum IL-16 levels in the first-episode group (F = 1.18, P < 0.001) and the recurrence group (F = 0.83, P < 0.001) were significantly higher than in the control group, and there was no significant difference between the first-episode group and the recurrence group (F = 1.65, P = 0.61). Serum IL-1β was negatively correlated with the general psychopathological score (GPS) of PANSS (R=-0.353, P = 0.026). In the recurrence group, serum IL-16 was positively correlated with the negative score (NEG) of the PANSS scale (R = 0.335, P = 0.035) and negatively correlated with the composite score (COM) (R=-0.329, P = 0.038). In the study, IL-16 levels were an independent variable of the onset of schizophrenia both in the first-episode (OR = 1.034, P = 0.002) and recurrence groups (OR = 1.049, P = 0.003). ROC curve analysis showed that the areas under IL-16(FEG) and IL-16(REG) curves were 0.883 (95%CI:0.794-0.942) and 0.887 (95%CI:0.801-0.950).

CONCLUSIONS

Serum IL-1β and IL-16 levels were different between patients with schizophrenia and healthy people. Serum IL-1β levels in first-episode schizophrenia and serum IL-16 levels in relapsing schizophrenia were correlated with the parts of psychiatric symptoms. The IL-16 level may be an independent factor associating with the onset of schizophrenia.

Exploring potential impacts of pregnancy-related maternal immune activation and extracellular vesicles on immune alterations observed in autism spectrum disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a set of neurodevelopmental disorders usually observed in early life, with impacts on behavioral and social skills. Incidence of ASD has been dramatically increasing worldwide, possibly due to increase in awareness/diagnosis as well as to genetic and environmental triggers. Currently, it is estimated that ∼1% of the world population presents ASD symptoms. In addition to its genetic background, environmental and immune-related factors also influence the ASD etiology. In this context, maternal immune activation (MIA) has recently been suggested as a component potentially involved in ASD development. In addition, extracellular vesicles (EVs) are abundant at the maternal-fetal interface and are actively involved in the immunoregulation required for a healthy pregnancy. Considering that alterations in concentration and content of EVs have also been associated with ASD, this article raises a debate about the potential roles of EVs in the processes surrounding MIA. This represents the major differential of the present review compared to other ASD studies. To support the suggested correlations and hypotheses, findings regarding the roles of EVs during pregnancy and potential influences on ASD are discussed, along with a review and update concerning the participation of infections, cytokine unbalances, overweight and obesity, maternal anti-fetal brain antibodies, maternal fever, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, labor type and microbiota unbalances in MIA and ASD.

Effects of amlodipine combined with atorvastatin on Th17/Treg imbalance and vascular microcirculation in hypertensive patients with atherosclerosis: A double-blind, single-center randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

Helper T cells 17 (Th17) and regulatory T cells (Treg), as CD4+T lymphocyte subsets, play an important role in the process of atherosclerosis. However, there are few studies on the regulation and efficacy of atorvastatin combined with amlodipine on Th17/Treg balance in hypertension combined with carotid atherosclerosis. Therefore, this study aims to verify the efficacy and immunomodulatory effects of atorvastatin combined with amlodipine in the treatment of hypertension combined with carotid atherosclerosis.

METHODS

A total of 260 patients with hypertension and carotid atherosclerosis were randomly divided into atorvastatin or combined treatment group. Inflammatory factors and Th17 and Treg levels were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and flow cytometry. The messenger ribonucleic acid expression of retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor gamma and forkhead spiral transcription factor were detected by real-time quantitative polymerse chain reaction.

RESULTS

We found that the total effective rate in the treatment group was significantly higher than that in the control group. The levels of whole blood high shear viscosity, whole blood low shear viscosity, plasma specific viscosity and fibrin content in the 2 groups were significantly decreased after treatment, and the combined group was significantly lower than the control group (all P < .05). The improvement of endothelial function in the treatment group was also significantly higher than that in the control group (all P < .05). In addition, we found that there were statistically significant differences in Th17 percentage, Treg percentage and Treg/Th17 between the treatment group and the control group (P < .05). The messenger ribonucleic acid levels of retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor gamma and forkhead spiral transcription factor showed the same trend. Further detection of Th17-related inflammatory factors showed that the expression of interleukin (IL)-17, IL-6, IL-23 and tumor necrosis factor-α in the treatment group was significantly decreased, which was better than that in the control group (all P < .05).

CONCLUSION

These data indicate that amlodipine combined with atorvastatin can improve Th17/Treg imbalance, vascular endothelial function and efficacy in patients with hypertension and atherosclerosis.

Emerging Roles of T Helper Cells in Non-Infectious Neuroinflammation: Savior or Sinner

CD4⁺ T cells, also known as T helper (Th) cells, contribute to the adaptive immunity both in the periphery and in the central nervous system (CNS). At least seven subsets of Th cells along with their signature cytokines have been identified nowadays. Neuroinflammation denotes the brain’s immune response to inflammatory conditions. In recent years, various CNS disorders have been related to the dysregulation of adaptive immunity, especially the process concerning Th cells and their cytokines. However, as the functions of Th cells are being discovered, it’s also found that their roles in different neuroinflammatory conditions, or even the participation of a specific Th subset in one CNS disorder may differ, and sometimes contrast. Based on those recent and contradictory evidence, the conflicting roles of Th cells in multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury as well as some typical mental disorders will be reviewed herein. Research progress, limitations and novel approaches concerning different neuroinflammatory conditions will also be mentioned and compared.

Intestinal Immune Development Is Accompanied by Temporal Deviation in Microbiota Composition of Newly Hatched Pigeon Squabs

Identifying the interaction between intestinal mucosal immune system development and commensal microbiota colonization in neonates is of paramount importance for understanding how early life events affect resistance to disease later in life. However, knowledge about this interaction during the early posthatch development period in altrices is limited. To fill this gap, samples of intestinal content and tissue were collected from newly hatched pigeon squabs at four time points (days 0, 7, 14, and 21) for microbial community analysis and genome-wide transcriptome profiling, respectively. We show that the first week after hatching seems to be the critical window for ileal microbiota colonization and that a potentially stable microbiota has not yet been well established at 21 days of age. Regional transcriptome differences revealed that the jejunum rather than the ileum plays a crucial role in immunity at both the innate and adaptive levels. In the ileum, temporal deviation in innate immune-related genes mainly occurs in the first week of life and is accompanied by a temporal change in microbiota composition, indicating that the ileal innate mucosal immune system development regulated by microbial colonization occurs mainly in this period. Furthermore, we provide evidence that colonization by Escherichia and Lactobacillus within the first week of life is likely one of the causative factors for the induction of proinflammatory cytokine expression in the ileum. We also demonstrate that cellular adaptive immune responses mediated by Th17 cells following commensal-induced proinflammatory cytokine production in the ileum begin as early as the first week posthatch, but this cellular immunity seems to be less effective in terms of maintaining the inflammatory response balance. Because the induction of high levels of mucosal secretory IgA (SIgA) seems to take approximately 3 weeks, we favor the idea that humoral adaptive immunity might be less active, at least, during the first 2 weeks of life. Our data may help to explain the phenomenon of the occurrence of intestinal infections mainly in the ileum of pigeon squabs during the early posthatch period. IMPORTANCE The pigeon (Columba livia), an altricial bird, is one of the most economically important farmed poultry for table purposes. Identifying the interaction between intestinal mucosal immune system development and commensal microbiota colonization in neonates is of paramount importance for understanding how early life events affect resistance to disease and potential productivity later in life. However, knowledge about this interaction during the early posthatch development period in altricial birds is limited. The study described herein is the first to try to provide insights into this interaction. Our data provide evidence on the mutual relationship between intestinal mucosal immune system development and commensal microbiota colonization in pigeon squabs and may help to explain the phenomenon of the occurrence of intestinal infections mainly in the ileum of pigeon squabs during the early posthatch period.

Role of JAK-STAT and PPAR-Gamma Signalling Modulators in the Prevention of Autism and Neurological Dysfunctions

The Janus-kinase (JAK) and signal transducer activator of transcription (STAT) signalling pathways regulate gene expression and control various factors involved in normal physiological functions such as cell proliferation, neuronal development, and cell survival. JAK activation phosphorylates STAT3 in astrocytes and microglia, and this phosphorylation has been linked to mitochondrial damage, apoptosis, neuroinflammation, reactive astrogliosis, and genetic mutations. As a regulator, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-gamma), in relation to JAK-STAT signalling, prevents this phosphorylation and aids in the treatment of the above-mentioned neurocomplications. Changes in cellular signalling may also contribute to the onset and progression of autism. Thus, PPAR-gamma agonist upregulation may be associated with JAK-STAT signal transduction downregulation. It may also be responsible for attenuating neuropathological changes by stimulating SOCS3 or involving RXR or SMRT, thereby reducing transcription of the various cytokine proteins and genes involved in neuronal damage. Along with JAK-STAT inhibitors, PPAR-gamma agonists could be used as target therapeutic interventions for autism. This research-based review explores the potential involvement and mutual regulation of JAK-STAT and PPAR-gamma signalling in controlling multiple pathological factors associated with autism.

Effect of Metformin in Autistic BTBR T+Itpr3tf/J Mice Administered a High-Fat Diet

The biological mechanisms linking diet-related obesity and autism-related behaviors remain unclear. We aimed to characterize these interactions, focusing on gut microbiota, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) levels, and autistic behaviors in an animal model for autism; a high-fat diet (HFD) BTBR T+Itpr3tf/J (BTBR) mouse. In this model, we also examined the medication effects of metformin (Met) which is known to ameliorate several symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).Therefore, we hypothesized that HFD exacerbates BTBR autistic symptoms, which can be alleviated by Met, and the effects are associated with serotonin and the microbiota. As expected, compared with mice fed a normal diet, ten-week HFD-fed mice showed increased body weight, adiposity, and glucose levels. HFD consumption markedly aggravated repetitive behaviors in the self-grooming test. Met reduced HFD-induced hyperactivity. Notably, HFD intervention rescued sociability in the three-chamber sociability test. Furthermore, HFD stimulated tryptophan production, which was inhibited by Met. In contrast, 5-HT levels were lower in the gut and higher in the cortex in the HFD group. Moreover, Met suppressed inflammation in the hippocampus of HFD-fed mice by significantly downregulating the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (NF-κB, IL-17A, and IL-6). HFD increased the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, and Met supplementation decreased richness while increasing bacterial diversity. We found that the abundance of gut microbiota (Lachnoclostridium, Anaerotruncus, Mucispirillum, and Lactococcus) was correlated with behavior scores and 5-HT levels. Overall, HFD consumption improved sociality in BTBR mice, which was related to the modulation of 5-HT levels and the composition of the microbiota. Met did not show any significant positive effects on the autism phenotype associated with HFD.

Re-emerging concepts of immune dysregulation in autism spectrum disorders

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by communication and social interaction deficits, and by restricted interests and stereotyped, repetitive behavior patterns. ASD has a strong genetic component and a complex architecture characterized by the interplay of rare and common genetic variants. Recently, increasing evidence suggest a significant contribution of immune system dysregulation in ASD. The present paper reviews the latest updates regarding the altered immune landscape of this complex disorder highlighting areas with potential for biomarkers discovery as well as personalization of therapeutic approaches. Cross-talk between the central nervous system and immune system has long been envisaged and recent evidence brings insights into the pathways connecting the brain to the immune system. Disturbance of cytokine levels plays an important role in the establishment of a neuroinflammatory milieu in ASD. Several other immune molecules involved in antigen presentation and inflammatory cellular phenotypes are also at play in ASD. Maternal immune activation, the presence of brain-reactive antibodies and autoimmunity are other potential prenatal and postnatal contributors to ASD pathophysiology. The molecular players involved in oxidative-stress response and mitochondrial system function, are discussed as contributors to the pro-inflammatory pattern. The gastrointestinal inflammation pathways proposed to play a role in ASD are also discussed. Moreover, the body of evidence regarding some of the genetic factors linked to the immune system dysregulation is reviewed and discussed. Last, but not least, the epigenetic traits and their interactions with the immune system are reviewed as an expanding field in ASD research. Understanding the immune-mediated pathways that influence brain development and function, metabolism, and intestinal homeostasis, may lead to the identification of robust diagnostic or predictive biomarkers for ASD individuals. Thus, novel therapeutic approaches could be developed, ultimately aiming to improve their quality of life.

Mid-gestation cytokine profiles in mothers of children affected by autism spectrum disorder: a case-control study

Autism Spectrum disorder is one of the commonest and most important neurodevelopmental conditions affecting children today. With an increasing prevalence and an unclear aetiology, it is imperative we find early markers of autism, which may facilitate early identification and intervention. Alterations of gestational cytokine profiles have been reported in mothers of autistic children. Increasing evidence suggests that the intrauterine environment is an important determinant of autism risk. This study aims to examine the mid-gestational serum cytokine profiles of the mothers of autistic children from a well-characterised birth cohort. A nested sub-cohort within a large mother-child birth cohort were identified based on a confirmed multi-disciplinary diagnosis of autism before the age 10 years and neuro-typical matched controls in a 2:1 ratio. IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-17A, GMCSF and TNFα were measured in archived maternal 20-week serum using MesoScale Diagnostics multiplex technology and validation of our IL-17A measurements was performed using an ultrasensitive assay. From a cohort of 2137 children, 25 had confirmed autism before 10 years and stored maternal serum from mid-gestation. We examined the sera of these 25 cases and 50 matched controls. The sex ratio was 4:1 males to females in each group, and the mean age at diagnosis was 5.09 years (SD 2.13). We found that concentrations of IL-4 were significantly altered between groups. The other analytes did not differ significantly using either multiplex or ultra-sensitive assays. In our well-characterised prospective cohort of autistic children, we confirmed mid-gestational alterations in maternal IL-4 concentrations in autism affected pregnancies versus matched controls. These findings add to promising evidence from animal models and retrospective screening programmes and adds to the knowledge in this field.

Microbiome-Specific Statistical Modeling Identifies Interplay Between Gastrointestinal Microbiome and Neurobehavioral Outcomes in Patients With Autism: A Case Control Study

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with unclear mechanisms of pathogenesis. Gastrointestinal microbiome alterations were found to correlate with ASD core symptoms, but its specific role in ASD pathogenesis has not been determined. In this study, we used a case-control strategy that simultaneously compared the ASD gastrointestinal microbiome with that from age-sex matched controls and first-degree relative controls, using a statistical framework accounting for confounders such as age. Enterobacteriaceae (including Escherichia/Shigella) and Phyllobacterium were significantly enriched in the ASD group, with their relative abundances all following a pattern of ASD > first degree relative control > healthy control, consistent with our hypothesis of living environment and shared microbial and immunological exposures as key drivers of ASD gastrointestinal microbiome dysbiosis. Using multivariable omnibus testing, we identified clinical factors including ADOS scores, dietary habits, and gastrointestinal symptoms that covary with overall microbiome structure within the ASD cohort. A microbiome-specific multivariate modeling approach (MaAsLin2) demonstrated microbial taxa, such as Lachnoclostridium and Tyzzerella, are significantly associated with ASD core symptoms measured by ADOS. Finally, we identified alterations in predicted biological functions, including tryptophan and tyrosine biosynthesis/metabolism potentially relevant to the pathophysiology of the gut-brain-axis. Overall, our results identified gastrointestinal microbiome signature changes in patients with ASD, highlighted associations between gastrointestinal microbiome and clinical characteristics related to the gut-brain axis and identified contributors to the heterogeneity of gastrointestinal microbiome within the ASD population.

Maternal Mid-Gestation Cytokine Dysregulation in Mothers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder characterised by deficits in social interactions and communication, with stereotypical and repetitive behaviours. Recent evidence suggests that maternal immune dysregulation may predispose offspring to ASD. Independent samples t-tests revealed downregulation of IL-17A concentrations in cases, when compared to controls, at both 15 weeks (p = 0.02), and 20 weeks (p = 0.02), which persisted at 20 weeks following adjustment for confounding variables. This adds to the growing body of evidence that maternal immune regulation may play a role in foetal neurodevelopment.

Downregulation of miR-1184 serves as a diagnostic biomarker in neonatal sepsis and regulates LPS-induced inflammatory response by inhibiting IL-16 in monocytes

Neonatal sepsis (NS) remains a global problem. In the present study, abnormal expression of microRNA-1184 (miR-1184) was detected in neonates with NS and it was endeavored to investigate the diagnostic value of miR-1184, as well as its regulatory role in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory response in vitro. Furthermore, the correlation between interleukin-16 (IL-16) and miR-1184 was investigated to elucidate the pathological mechanisms of NS development. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR was used to detect the expression of miR-1184. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic value of miR-1184 in NS. Furthermore, a sepsis cell model was established by using LPS-induced monocytes to explore the effect of miR-1184 on the inflammatory response. The levels of inflammatory cytokines were determined by ELISA. A luciferase reporter assay was used to investigate the direct targeting interaction between miR-1184 and IL-16. The results indicated that the serum levels of miR-1184 in neonates with sepsis were decreased and miR-1184 had a high diagnostic value when differentiating NS from respiratory conditions in neonates. In vitro, the expression of miR-1184 in monocytes was inhibited by LPS and overexpression of miR-1184 reversed the effect of LPS to stimulate the inflammatory response. IL-16 was demonstrated to be a target of miR-1184 and a negative correlation between them was identified in patients with NS. The inflammatory response inhibited by miR-1184 mimics was enhanced by overexpression of IL-16 in LPS-induced monocytes. In conclusion, decreased levels of serum miR-1184 may be a potential diagnostic biomarker for NS. In addition, miR-1184 inhibited the LPS-induced inflammatory response by targeting IL-16 in monocytes, suggesting that the miR-1184/IL-16 axis may be a potential therapeutic target for NS.

Dysbiotic Gut Microbiota and Dysregulation of Cytokine Profile in Children and Teens With Autism Spectrum Disorder

Inflammation and the gut-brain axis have been implicated in the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). To further understand the relationship between aberrant immune responses and dysbiotic features of the gut microbiome in ASD, we enrolled 45 ASD individuals and 41 healthy control subjects with ages ranging from 2 to 19 years. We found that ASD group subjects have significantly higher plasma levels of IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, TNF-β, and IFN-γ when compared to healthy controls (FDR-adjusted p < 0.05). The plasma levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines IFN-γ and IL-6 are found to be further associated with several largely pathogenic gut microbiota uniquely detected in subjects with ASD. Furthermore, the ASD gut microbiome is characterized by reduced levels of several beneficial microbiota, including Bacteroides (FDR-adjusted p < 0.01) and Lachnospiraceae (FDR-adjusted p < 0.001). Analysis of Lachnospiraceae family and genus level taxa suggested that relative abundances of such taxa are negatively correlated with pro-inflammatory signaling cytokines IFN-γ and IL-6, particularly in subjects with severe ASD as defined by CARS (p < 0.05). Several largely pathogenic genera are determined to be associated with the pro-inflammatory cytokines IFN-γ and IL-6 (FDR-adjusted p < 0.1). Additionally, IL-4 is significantly negatively correlated with CARS total score (p < 0.05). Based on such results, we propose that the association between the disturbances of specific cytokines and alterations in gut microbiota abundance observed in children and adolescents with ASD provides additional evidence on the induction of aberrant pro-inflammatory mechanisms in ASD and its early diagnosis.

Multiple cytokine analysis in gastroschisis: Association with adverse outcomes including fetal brain damage

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the distribution of multiple cytokines in gastroschisis and reveal its association with clinical outcomes, including gastrointestinal disorders and fetal brain damage caused by chronic inflammation in gastroschisis.

METHODS

We obtained amniotic fluid and arterial cord blood from 10 patients with gastroschisis, and evaluated the profile of 40 cytokines via multiplex immunoassay. The possible relationship of the cytokines with the time taken to attain full enteral nutrition and cord S100B, a surrogate marker of brain damage, was estimated. Associations among the relevant cytokines were also assessed.

RESULTS

Although clinical characteristics in our cohort had no relevance, several cytokines in cord blood, especially IL-2, IL-8, CCL1, CCL7, CXCL1, CXCL2, and CXCL6, were clearly elevated in patients who took a longer time to attain full enteral nutrition, whereas only IL-16 in cord blood was significantly related to cord S100B and strongly correlation with cord S100B levels. Moreover, our data indicated that IL-16 was considerably less correlated with the other cytokines associated with adverse outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

We investigated the cytokine characteristics of both amniotic fluid and cord blood in gastroschisis, and found that certain cytokines could affect the adverse outcomes, including fetal brain damage. These findings provide important information that could further clarify the pathophysiology of gastroschisis and propose a novel clinical implication of gastroschisis that could be used to predict adverse outcomes, especially neurodevelopmental disorders.

Serum cytokines associated with behavior: A cross-sectional study in 5-year-old children

Nearly 10% of 5-year-old children experience social, emotional or behavioral problems and are at increased risk of developing mental disorders later in life. While animal and human studies have demonstrated that cytokines can regulate brain functions, it is unclear whether individual cytokines are associated with specific behavioral dimensions in population-based pediatric samples. Here, we used data and biological samples from 786 mother-child pairs participating to the French national mother-child cohort EDEN. At the age of 5, children were assessed for behavioral difficulties using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and had their serum collected. Serum samples were analyzed for levels of well-characterized effector or regulatory cytokines. We then used a penalized logistic regression method (Elastic Net), to investigate associations between serum levels of cytokines and each of the five SDQ-assessed behavioral dimensions after adjustment for relevant covariates and confounders, including psychosocial variables. We found that interleukin (IL)-6, IL-7, and IL-15 were associated with increased odds of problems in prosocial behavior, emotions, and peer relationships, respectively. In contrast, eight cytokines were associated with decreased odds of problems in one dimension: IL-8, IL-10, and IL-17A with emotional problems, Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF)-α with conduct problems, C-C motif chemokine Ligand (CCL)2 with hyperactivity/inattention, C-X-C motif chemokine Ligand (CXCL)10 with peer problems, and CCL3 and IL-16 with abnormal prosocial behavior. Without implying causation, these associations support the notion that cytokines regulate brain functions and behavior and provide a rationale for launching longitudinal studies.