64585
document
Decreased glutathione and elevated hair mercury levels are associated with nutritional deficiency-based autism in Oman . Genetic , nutrition , and environmental factors have each been implicated as sources of risk for autism . Oxidative stress , including low plasma levels of the antioxidant glutathione , has been reported by numerous autism studies , which can disrupt methylation-dependent epigenetic regulation of gene expression with neurodevelopmental consequences . We investigated the status of redox and methylation metabolites , as well as the level of protein homocysteinylation and hair mercury levels , in autistic and neurotypical control Omani children , who were previously shown to exhibit significant nutritional deficiencies in serum folate and vitamin B₁₂ . The serum level of glutathione in autistic subjects was significantly below control levels , while levels of homocysteine and S-adenosylhomocysteine were elevated , indicative of oxidative stress and decreased methionine synthase activity . Autistic males had lower glutathione and higher homocysteine levels than females , while homocysteinylation of serum proteins was increased in autistic males but not females . Mercury levels were markedly elevated in the hair of autistic subjects vs. control subjects , consistent with the importance of glutathione for its elimination . Thus , autism in Oman is associated with decreased antioxidant resources and decreased methylation capacity , in conjunction with elevated hair levels of mercury .
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Intervention_Pharmacological
antioxidant glutathione
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Intervention_Pharmacological
redox
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Intervention_Pharmacological
methylation metabolites
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Intervention_Pharmacological
folate
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Outcome_Physical
status
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Outcome_Physical
The serum level of glutathione in autistic subjects
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Outcome_Physical
while levels of homocysteine and S-adenosylhomocysteine
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Outcome_Physical
indicative of oxidative stress
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Outcome_Physical
decreased methionine synthase activity
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Outcome_Physical
lower glutathione
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Outcome_Physical
higher homocysteine levels
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Outcome_Physical
while homocysteinylation of serum proteins
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Outcome_Physical
females . Mercury levels
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Participant_Condition
autism
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Participant_Condition
redox and methylation metabolites
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Participant_Condition
autistic and neurotypical control
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Participant_Condition
autistic
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Participant_Sex
males
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Participant_Sex
females
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Participant_Condition
autistic
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Participant_Condition
autism