Immunoglobin Reactivity in Autism and Rett's Syndrome

Blood samples were obtained from 17 patients with autism (8 - 23 years of age; 16 males and 1 female). B cell numbers as measured by anti-B1 antibodies were normal. B cell function (proliferation and in vitro IgG and IgM synthesis in response to pokeweed mitogen) was normal. Quantitative serum immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA and IgM) were normal. When tested against Western blots prepared from normal, human cerebellar tissue, there was an increased incidence of IgG anti-210K neurofilament subunit reactivity (41 vs. 7% in 348 con- trols; p < 0.001). IgM anti-2l0K reactivity occurred in 53% of the patients (22% in 11 1 con- trols; p < 0.05) with an overall incidence of anticerebellar Western blot banding of 88% (23% in controls; p < 0.001). IgG or IgM reactivity against front cortex Western blots was not observed. Similar investigations performed on 8 girls with Rett's syndrome failed to reveal any abnormalities.