Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
Disability Department, Sospiro Foundation, Sospiro (CR), Italy.
World J Biol Psychiatry. 2019 Nov;20(9):742-746. doi: 10.1080/15622975.2018.1481999. Epub 2018 Sep 19.
Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) is a neurotrophin which could signal neuronal suffering and at the same time acts as a neuroprotective agent. In the present study we aimed to evaluate CNTF serum levels in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). In fact, considering the role of CNTF as a neuronal damage signal and the role of neuroinflammation, excito-inhibitory imbalance and excitotoxicity in the pathogenesis of ASDs, a possible alteration of CNTF in ASDs could be hypothesised. We recruited 23 individuals with ASDs and intellectual disability (ID), 20 ID subjects and 26 typical adults. A complete medical and psychopathological characterisation of the participants was performed. CNTF serum levels were measured with ELISA. CNTF serum levels were significantly higher in the ASD + ID group compared to ID ( < .001) or typically developed subjects ( < .001). CNTF may be considered as a potential biomarker candidate for ASDs in the context of severe ID. Our results support the hypothesis of neurotrophic imbalance in ASDs.
睫状神经营养因子（CNTF）是一种神经营养因子，可作为神经元损伤的信号，同时具有神经保护作用。本研究旨在评估自闭症谱系障碍（ASD）患者的血清 CNTF 水平。鉴于 CNTF 作为神经元损伤信号的作用，以及神经炎症、兴奋抑制失衡和兴奋性毒性在 ASD 发病机制中的作用，我们假设 CNTF 在 ASD 中可能发生改变。我们招募了 23 名伴有智力障碍（ID）的 ASD 患者、20 名 ID 患者和 26 名典型成年人作为对照。对所有参与者进行了全面的医学和精神病理学特征描述。采用 ELISA 法检测血清 CNTF 水平。ASD+ID 组的 CNTF 血清水平明显高于 ID 组（ < .001）或典型发育组（ < .001）。CNTF 可作为严重 ID 背景下 ASD 的潜在生物标志物候选物。我们的研究结果支持了 ASD 中神经营养失衡的假说。
