Oxidative Stress and Erythrocyte Membrane Alterations in Children with Autism: Correlation with Clinical Features
Open accessAbstract
It has been suggested that oxidative stress may play a role in the pathogenesis of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), but the literature reports somewhat contradictory results. To further investigate the issue, we evaluated a high number of peripheral oxidative stress parameters, and some related issues such as erythrocyte membrane functional features and lipid composition. Twenty-one autistic children (Au) aged 5 to 12 years, were gender and age-matched with 20 typically developing children (TD). Erythrocyte thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, urinary isoprostane and hexanoyl-lysine adduct levels were elevated in Au, thus confirming the occurrence of an imbalance of the redox status of Au, whilst other oxidative stress markers or associated parameters (urinary 8-oxo-dG, plasma radical absorbance capacity and carbonyl groups, erythrocyte superoxide dismutase and catalase activities) were unchanged. A very significant reduction of Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase activity (-66%, p<0.0001), a reduction of erythrocyte membrane fluidity and alteration in erythrocyte fatty acid membrane profile (increase in monounsaturated fatty acids, decrease in EPA and DHA-ω3 with a consequent increase in ω6/ω3 ratio) were found in Au compared to TD, without change in membrane sialic acid content. Some Au clinical features appear to be correlated with these findings; in particular, hyperactivity score appears to be related with some parameters of the lipidomic profile and membrane fluidity. Oxidative stress and erythrocyte membrane alterations may play a role in the pathogenesis of ASD and prompt the development of palliative therapeutic protocols. Moreover, the marked decrease in NKA could be potentially utilized as a peripheral biomarker of ASD.
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Several lines of evidence indicate oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction are prevalent in individuals with ASD.
“There are presently several lines of evidence indicating oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction are prevalent in individuals with ASD [3,10,11,12,13,14,15,16].”
From Vitamin D and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Literature Review (2016) · cites this paper as [15]
Oxidative stress and reduced redox/antioxidant capacity in peripheral tissue are associated with clinical features of autism.
“Oxidative stress and reduced redox/antioxidant capacity in cerebellum and temporal cortex have been shown to have functional consequences for chronic inflammatory response, mitochondrial dysfunction and protein and DNA damage [3], and in peripheral tissue have been associated with anti-neuronal positivity [16] and clinical features of autism [15].”
From Vitamin D and Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Literature Review (2016) · cites this paper as [15]
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References 79 · Cited by 164
Research works printed but not linked: 1
- [81]Bell JG, Miller D, MacDonald DJ, MacKinlay EE, Dick JR, et al (2010) The fatty acid compositions of erythrocyte and plasma polar lipids in children with autism; developmental delay or typically developing controls and the effect of fish oil intake. Br. J. Nutr. 103: 1160– 1167. 19995470
- Authors
- Ghezzo, A., Visconti, P., Abruzzo, P. M., Bolotta, A., Ferreri, C., Gobbi, G., Malisardi, G., Manfredini, S., Marini, M., Nanetti, L., Pipitone, E., Raffaelli, F., Resca, F., Vignini, A., & Mazzanti, L.
- Affiliations
- University of Bologna (IT)
- Ospedale Maggiore Carlo Alberto Pizzardi (IT)
- Don Carlo Gnocchi Foundation (IT)
- Institute of Organic Synthesis and Photoreactivity (IT)
- University of Ferrara (IT)
- Marche Polytechnic University (IT)
- Azienda USL di Bologna (IT)
- Corresponding author
- Marini, Marina
- ORCID
- Venue
- PLoS ONE
- Publisher
- Public Library of Science (PLoS)
- Published
- 2013-06-19
- Volume
- 8
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- e66418
- ISSN
- 1932-6203 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC3686873
- OpenAlex
- W2120337985
- Cited by
- 164
- References
- 79
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 15 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 11 · 2013: 3
- FWCI
- 7.13
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- PLoS ONE (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Archivio istituzionale della ricerca (Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Institutional Research Information System University of Ferrara (University of Ferrara) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Autism Spectrum Disorder Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Biochemistry › Antioxidant Activity and Oxidative Stress
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Child Nutrition and Feeding Issues
- Keywords
- autism spectrum disorder, oxidative stress, erythrocyte membrane, lipid peroxidation, Na+/K+-ATPase, membrane fluidity, erythrocyte fatty acids, n-6/n-3 ratio, isoprostanes, 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine, superoxide dismutase, catalase, sialic acid, hyperactivity, peripheral biomarkers, children
- MeSH terms
- Autism Spectrum Disorder, Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase, Child, Child, Preschool, Erythrocyte Membrane, Female, Humans, Male, Reactive Oxygen Species, Oxidative Stress, Isoprostanes, Lipid Metabolism
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