Abstract
Virus-induced autoimmunity may play a causal role in autism. To examine the etiologic
link of viruses in this brain disorder, we conducted a serologic study of measles
virus, mumps virus, and rubella virus. Viral antibodies were measured by enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assay in the serum of autistic children, normal children, and siblings
of autistic children. The level of measles antibody, but not mumps or rubella antibodies,
was significantly higher in autistic children as compared with normal children (P = 0.003) or siblings of autistic children (P ≤ 0.0001). Furthermore, immunoblotting of measles vaccine virus revealed that the
antibody was directed against a protein of approximately 74 kd molecular weight. The
antibody to this antigen was found in 83% of autistic children but not in normal children
or siblings of autistic children. Thus autistic children have a hyperimmune response
to measles virus, which in the absence of a wild type of measles infection might be
a sign of an abnormal immune reaction to the vaccine strain or virus reactivation.
Keywords
To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
Purchase one-time access:
Academic & Personal: 24 hour online accessCorporate R&D Professionals: 24 hour online accessOne-time access price info
- For academic or personal research use, select 'Academic and Personal'
- For corporate R&D use, select 'Corporate R&D Professionals'
Subscribe:
Subscribe to Pediatric NeurologyAlready a print subscriber? Claim online access
Already an online subscriber? Sign in
Register: Create an account
Institutional Access: Sign in to ScienceDirect
References
- Antibodies to myelin basic protein in children with autistic disorder.Brain Behav Immun. 1993; 7: 97-103
- Plasma increase of interleukin-12 and interferon-gamma.J Neuroimmunol. 1996; 66: 143-145
- Circulating autoantibodies to neuronal and glial filament proteins in autism.Pediatr Neurol. 1997; 16: 88-90
- Neuro-immunopathogenesis in autism.in: Berczi I. Gorczynski R. Neuroimmune biology: New foundation of biology. Elsevier, New York2001: 447-458
- Serological association of measles virus and human herpesvirus-6 with brain autoantibodies in autism.Clin Immunol Immunopathol. 1998; 89: 105-108
- Abnormal measles-mumps-rubella antibodies and CNS autoimmunity in children with autism.J Biomed Sci. 2002; 9: 359-364
- Abnormal immune response to brain tissue antigen in the syndrome of autism.Am J Psychiatry. 1982; 139: 1462-1465
- CD4+ CD45RA+ T lymphocyte deficiency in autistic children.Brain Dysfunct. 1992; 5: 326-333
- Behavioral consequences of congenital rubella.J Pediatr. 1978; 93: 699-703
- Autism as one of several disabilities in two children with congenital cytomegalovirus infection.Neuropediatrics. 1990; 21: 102-103
- Detection and sequencing of measles virus from peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with inflammatory bowel disease and autism.Digest Dis Sci. 2000; 45: 723-729
- Indian scientists warn of ‘mutant measles’ virus.BMJ. 2001; 322: 693
Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
October 28,
2002
Received:
July 23,
2002
Identification
Copyright
© 2003 Elsevier Science Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
