Dataset Information

A study of nuclear transcription factor-kappa B in childhood autism.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Several children with autism show regression in language and social development while maintaining normal motor milestones. A clear period of normal development followed by regression and subsequent improvement with treatment, suggests a multifactorial etiology. The role of inflammation in autism is now a major area of study. Viral and bacterial infections, hypoxia, or medication could affect both foetus and infant. These stressors could upregulate transcription factors like nuclear factor kappa B (NF-?B), a master switch for many genes including some implicated in autism like tumor necrosis factor (TNF). On this hypothesis, it was proposed to determine NF-?B in children with autism.

Methods

Peripheral blood samples of 67 children with autism and 29 control children were evaluated for NF-?B using electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). A phosphor imaging technique was used to quantify values. The fold increase over the control sample was calculated and statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS 15.

Results

We have noted significant increase in NF-?B DNA binding activity in peripheral blood samples of children with autism. When the fold increase of NF-?B in cases (n = 67) was compared with that of controls (n = 29), there was a significant difference (3.14 vs. 1.40, respectively; p<0.02).

Conclusion

This finding has immense value in understanding many of the known biochemical changes reported in autism. As NF-?B is a response to stressors of several kinds and a master switch for many genes, autism may then arise at least in part from an NF-?B pathway gone awry.

SUBMITTER: Naik US

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3090385 | biostudies-literature | 2011 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

A study of nuclear transcription factor-kappa B in childhood autism.

Naik Usha S US Gangadharan Charitha C Abbagani Kanakalatha K Nagalla Balakrishna B Dasari Niranjan N Manna Sunil K SK

PloS one 20110509 5

<h4>Background</h4>Several children with autism show regression in language and social development while maintaining normal motor milestones. A clear period of normal development followed by regression and subsequent improvement with treatment, suggests a multifactorial etiology. The role of inflammation in autism is now a major area of study. Viral and bacterial infections, hypoxia, or medication could affect both foetus and infant. These stressors could upregulate transcription factors like nu ...[more]

PMID: 21573053

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Project description:Both the aging of animals and the senescence of cultured cells involve an altered pattern of gene expression, suggesting changes in transcription factor regulation. We studied age-related changes in transcription factors nuclear factor (NF)-kappa B, activator protein factor-1 (AP-1) and Sp-1 by using electrophoretic mobility shift binding assays; we also analysed changes in the protein components of NF-kappa B complex with Western blot assays. Nuclear and cytoplasmic extracts were prepared from heart, liver, kidney and brain of young adult and old NMRI mice and Wistar rats as well as from presenescent, senescent and simian virus 40-immortalized human WI-38 fibroblasts. Aging of both mice and rats induced a strong and consistent increase in the nuclear binding activity of NF-kappa B factor in all tissues studied, whereas those of AP-1 and Sp-1 decreased, e.g. in liver. Protein levels of p50, p52 and p65 components of the NF-kappa B complex did not show any age-associated changes in the cytoplasmic fraction but in the nuclear fraction the level of p52 strongly increased in heart and liver during aging. The protein levels of inhibitory I kappa B-alpha and Bcl-3 components were not affected by aging in any of the tissues studied. Replicative cellular senescence of human WI-38 fibroblasts induced a strong decrease in nuclear NF-kappa B, AP-1 and Sp-1 binding activities. Protein levels of p50 and p52 components of NF-kappa B complex were decreased in the nuclear fraction of senescent WI-38 fibroblasts but in the cytoplasm of senescent fibroblasts the level of p65 protein was increased. Cellular senescence also slightly decreased the protein levels of I kappa B-alpha and Bcl-3. Transfection assays with NF-kappa B-enhancer-driven chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter gene showed a significant down-regulation of NF-kappa B promoter activity in senescent WI-38 fibroblasts. Results suggest that the aging process might be regulated differently in tissues and cultured fibroblasts, perhaps reflecting differences between mitotic and post-mitotic cells. In tissues, aging seems to involve specific changes in the regulation of NF-kappa B components and perhaps also changes in the DNA-binding affinities of the NF-kappa B complex.

Project description:BackgroundThe humoral system is activated and various cytokines are released due to infections in tissues and traumatic damage. Nuclear factor-kappa B dimers are encoded by nuclear factor-kappa B genes and regulate transcription of several crucial proteins of inflammation such as tumour necrosis factor-alpha.AimsTo investigate the possible effect of polymorphisms on tumour necrosis factor-alpha serum levels with clinical and prognostic parameters of sepsis by determining the nuclear factor-kappa B-1-94 ins/del ATTG and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (-308 G/A) gene polymorphisms and tumour necrosis factor-alpha serum levels.Study designCase-control study.MethodsSeventy-two patients with sepsis and 104 healthy controls were included in the study. In order to determine the polymorphisms of nuclear factor-kappa B-1-94 ins/del ATTG and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (-308 G/A), polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis was performed and serum tumour necrosis factor-alpha levels were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.ResultsWe observed no significant differences in tumour necrosis factor-alpha serum levels between the study groups. In the patient group, an increase in the tumour necrosis factor-alpha serum levels in patients carrying the tumour necrosis factor-alpha (-308 G/A) A allele compared to those without the A allele was found to be statistically significant. Additionally, an increase in the tumour necrosis factor-alpha serum levels in patients carrying tumour necrosis factor-alpha (-308 G/A) AA genotype compared with patients carrying the AG or GG genotypes was statistically significant. No significant differences were found in these 2 polymorphisms between the patient and control groups (p>0.05).ConclusionOur results showed the AA genotype and the A allele of the tumour necrosis factor-alpha (-308 G/A) polymorphism may be used as a predictor of elevated tumour necrosis factor-alpha levels in patients with sepsis.

Dataset Information

A study of nuclear transcription factor-kappa B in childhood autism.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Publications

A study of nuclear transcription factor-kappa B in childhood autism.

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