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Low serum levels of glutathione, homocysteine and total antioxidant capacity are associated with increased risk of autism in Oman
Author(s) -
Waly Mostafa I,
AlFarsi Yahya M,
AlSharbati Marwan M,
Ali Amanat,
AlKhalili Maha M,
Essa Mohamed M,
AlFarsi Omar A,
AlShafaee Mohammed S
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.25.1_supplement.595.7
Low serum levels of glutathione (GSH) and total antioxidant capacity are considered to be indicators of oxidative stress, a metabolic condition that involves high level of homocysteine (HCY). Under oxidative stress, the cellular antioxidants capacity is not counterbalancing the oxidative damage induced by various insults including, free radicals and environmental toxins. Oxidative stress synergizes with other risk factors in the etiology of autism. This case control study included eighty Omani children (40 diagnosed autistic subjects, in the age of 3–5 years, and 40 matched controls for age and gender). Fasting serum HCY, GSH and TAC levels were measured for all subjects. Our study revealed that autistic subjects have lower mean levels of serum GSH (6.6 ± 0.98 μmol/L) and TAC (54.71 ± 1.9 nmol/L) as compared to controls group (13.8 ± 1.2 μmol/L, 150.3 ± 2.4 nmol/L respectively), the difference was statistically significant. The mean serum HCY level was significantly higher in autistic cases (20.1 ± 3.3 μmol/L) as compared to controls (9.64 ± 2.1 μmol/L) and normal reference values of serum HCY(5–15 μmol/L). Our study suggested that oxidative stress is involved in the pathogenesis of autism among the studied Omani autistic children as evident by low serum GSH and TAC and high serum level of HCY.