Regulatory Immune Mechanisms and Gastrointestinal Comorbidity in ASD
Abstract
The most recent Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee concluded that over half of all children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) experience gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction, yet few receive treatment for this. GI problems occur 6-8 times more frequently in ASD than in typically developing (TD) children but the mechanisms underlying GI dysfunction in ASD remain unknown. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) are key mediators of immune tolerance that prevent inappropriate GI inflammation in response to bacteria and other luminal antigens/ components. We have previously demonstrated decreased numbers of Tregs and reduced levels of the regulatory cytokines they produce in children with ASD. We hypothesize that these immune regulatory deficits are more severe in children with ASD with GI symptoms. Local IRB has been approved for the study. Tissue processing and the technical protocol has been optimized for evaluation of functional assays of Tregs and epigenetics of lineage commitment and stability. Team development and co-ordination between clinic and laboratory has been optimized to ensure high quality samples are available for assays outlined in the proposal. Protocols for the collection and storage of detailed clinical history and assessments needed for correlative analyses have been developed.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2019
- Accession Number
- AD1092576
Entities
People
- Paul Ashwood
Organizations
- University of California, Davis