Plasma level of folate-related metabolites in children with autism  spectrum disorder and its relationship with clinical manifestations

WANG Feng; ZHANG Yu-jue; ZHAO Jing-yi; LIU Ze-hui; ZOU Ming-yang; SUN Cai-hong; XIA Wei

doi:10.11852/zgetbjzz2021-1907

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Chinese Journal of Child Health Care ›› 2023, Vol. 31 ›› Issue (2) : 152-155. DOI: 10.11852/zgetbjzz2021-1907

Plasma level of folate-related metabolites in children with autism spectrum disorder and its relationship with clinical manifestations

WANG Feng, ZHANG Yu-jue, ZHAO Jing-yi, LIU Ze-hui, ZOU Ming-yang, SUN Cai-hong, XIA Wei

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Abstract

Objective To explore the relationship between folic acid related metabolites and autism spectrum disorder (ASD), so as to provide theoretical basis for the etiology and pathogenesis of ASD. Methods From June 2017 to December 2018, children who received rehabilitation training in designated rehabilitation institutions for autism in Harbin were collected. Seventy autistic children and seventy matched healthy children were enrolled in this case-control study. The levels of folic acid related metabolites in plasma were measured by liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and its association with the clinical phenotype of ASD children was analyzed. Results ASD children had higher plasma levels of cystathionine (Z=2.59), total glutathione (tGSH) (t=5.29), homocysteine (Hcy) (t=2.23), cysteine (t=11.37), methionine (t=3.14) compared to healthy control (P<0.05), but the difference in the levels of adenosine(Z=1.20) and cystine(t=1.75) in plasma between the two groups was not significant (P>0.05). The level of tGSH in ASD children was positively correlated with the scores of social communication score in Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) (r=0.322, P<0.05). Conclusion Abnormal expression of folic acid related metabolites in ASD children is correlated with the scores of clinical phenotypic features of ASD, and the underlying mechanism needs to be further explored.

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autism spectrum disorder / folic acid related metabolites / case control study

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WANG Feng, ZHANG Yu-jue, ZHAO Jing-yi, LIU Ze-hui, ZOU Ming-yang, SUN Cai-hong, XIA Wei. Plasma level of folate-related metabolites in children with autism spectrum disorder and its relationship with clinical manifestations[J]. Chinese Journal of Child Health Care. 2023, 31(2): 152-155 https://doi.org/10.11852/zgetbjzz2021-1907

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