http://www.neuro.jhmi.edu/neuroimmunopath/autism_faqs.htmThe two John's Hopkins references above Discusse cytokines.
"What type of immune reactions are present in the brain of autistic patients?
In our study, we have demonstrated a marked increase in neuroglial responses, characterized by activation of microglia and astroglia, in the brains of autistic patients. These increased neuroglial responses are likely part of neuroinflammatory reactions associated with the central nervous system's (CNS) innate immune system. In innate immune reactions of the CNS, microglial activation is the main cellular response to CNS dysfunction. This is in contrast to adaptive immune responses, in which lymphocyte and/or antibody mediated reactions are the dominant responses. In our sample of autistic patients, microglial and astroglial activation was present in the absence of lymphocyte infiltration or immunoglobulin deposition in the CNS. It also was associated with increased production of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines such as MCP-1 and TGFß-1 by neuroglia."
"If there is neuroinflammation in the brain of some autistic patients, is treatment with anti-inflammatory or immunomodulatory medications indicated?
At present, THERE IS NO indication for using anti-inflammatory medications in patients with autism. Immunomodulatory or anti-inflammatory medications such as steroids (e.g. prednisone or methylprednisolone), immunosupressants (e.g. Azathioprine, methotrexate, cyclophosphamide) or modulators of immune reactions (e.g. intravenous immunoglobulins, IVIG) WOULD NOT HAVE a significant effect on neuroglial activation because these drugs work mostly on adaptive immunity by reducing the production of immunoglobulins, decreasing the production of T cells and limiting the infiltration of inflammatory cells into areas of tissue injury. Our study demonstrated NO EVIDENCE at all for these types of immune reactions. There are ongoing experimental studies to examine the effect of drugs that limit the activation of microglia and astrocytes, but their use in humans must await further evidence of their efficacy and safety."
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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16360218 J Neuroimmunol. 2006 Mar;172(1-2):198-205. Epub 2005 Dec 19. Links
Elevated cytokine levels in children with autism spectrum disorder.Molloy CA, Morrow AL, Meinzen-Derr J, Schleifer K, Dienger K, Manning-Courtney P, Altaye M, Wills-Karp M.
Center for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, and Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45229-3039, United States. cynthia.molloy@cchmc.org
This study compared production of IL-2, IFN-gamma, IL-4, IL-13, IL-5 and IL-10 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 20 children with autism spectrum disorder to those from matched controls. Levels of all Th2 cytokines were significantly higher in cases after incubation in media alone, but the IFN-gamma/IL-13 ratio was not significantly different between cases and controls. Cases had significantly higher IL-13/IL-10 and IFN-gamma/IL-10 than controls. Conclusion: Children with ASD had increased activation of both Th2 and Th1 arms of the adaptive immune response, with a Th2 predominance, and without the compensatory increase in the regulatory cytokine IL-10.