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. 2016;25(4):350-4.
doi: 10.1159/000445351. Epub 2016 Mar 11.

Activity-Regulated Cytoskeleton-Associated Protein Dysfunction May Contribute to Memory Disorder and Earlier Detection of Autism Spectrum Disorders

Abdulrahman Mohammed Alhowikan  1
Affiliations

Activity-Regulated Cytoskeleton-Associated Protein Dysfunction May Contribute to Memory Disorder and Earlier Detection of Autism Spectrum Disorders

Abdulrahman Mohammed Alhowikan. Med Princ Pract. 2016.

Abstract

Objective: To explore a possible role for activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated (Arc/Arg3.1) protein in the clinical identification of children with autism.

Subjects and methods: The plasma levels of Arc/Arg3.1 in 62 boys with autism and 32 healthy boys were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) was used to assess the severity of autism as defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (DSM-IV). The Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparisons between children with autism and healthy children. The Spearman r correlation coefficient (r) was used to determine the relationship between the CARS scores among patients with autism and different variables.

Results: The mean plasma level of Arc/Arg3.1 protein in autism was 1.689 ± 0.917 pg/ml, significantly higher than that of healthy controls, i.e. 0.792 ± 1.056 pg/ml (p < 0.001). No significant relationship was found between plasma levels of Arc/Arg3.1 protein and CARS scores (r = -0.06; p > 0.05) or age (r = -0.27; p > 0.05).

Conclusions: The mean plasma level of Arc/Arg3.1 protein was higher in children with autism than in controls, suggesting that Arc/Arg3.1 could be a potential early blood biomarker for diagnosis of autism.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
No significant correlation is observed between Arc/Arg3.1 levels and the severity of autism as assessed with the CARS.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
No significant correlation is observed between Arc/Arg 3.1 levels and the age of children with autism.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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