BACKGROUND/AIM: Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are complex, and severe heterogeneous neurodevelopmental pathologies with accepted but complex immune system abnormalities. Additional knowledge regarding potential immune dysfunctions may provide a greater understanding of this malady. The aim of this study was to evaluate the CD57(+)CD3(-) mature lymphocyte subpopulation of natural killer cells as a marker of immune dysfunction in ASD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three-color flow cytometry-based analysis of fresh peripheral blood samples from children with autism was utilized to measure CD57(+)CD3(-) lymphocytes. RESULTS: A reduction of CD57(+)CD3(-) lymphocyte count was recorded in a significant number of patients with autism. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: We demonstrated that the number of peripheral CD57(+)CD3(-) cells in children with autism often falls below the clinically accepted normal range. This implies that a defect in the counter-regulatory functions necessary for balancing pro-inflammatory cytokines exists, thus opening the way to chronic inflammatory conditions associated with ASD.
- MeSH
- antigeny CD3 metabolismus MeSH
- antigeny CD57 metabolismus MeSH
- biologické markery MeSH
- dítě MeSH
- dospělí MeSH
- imunofenotypizace MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- mladý dospělý MeSH
- počet lymfocytů * MeSH
- podskupiny lymfocytů imunologie metabolismus MeSH
- poruchy autistického spektra imunologie metabolismus MeSH
- předškolní dítě MeSH
- přirozená imunita * MeSH
- studie případů a kontrol MeSH
- Check Tag
- dítě MeSH
- dospělí MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mladiství MeSH
- mladý dospělý MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- předškolní dítě MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
