Reduced serum concentrations of 25-hydroxy vitamin D in children with autism: Relation to autoimmunity

Background: aside from the skeletal health affection,vitamin d deficiency has been implicated as a potential environmental factor triggering for some autoimmune disorders. vitamin d might play a role in the regulation of the production of auto-antibodies. immunomodulatory effects of vitamin d may act not only through modulation of t-helper cell function,but also through induction of cd4+cd25high regulatory t-cells. we are the first to investigate the relationship between serum levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin d and anti-myelin-associated glycoprotein (anti-mag) auto-antibodies in autistic children.methods: serum levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin d and anti-mag auto-antibodies were measured in 50 autistic children,aged between 5 and 12 years,and 30 healthy-matched children. serum 25-hydroxy vitamin d levels 10-30 ng/ml and < 10 ng/ml were defined as vitamin d insufficiency and deficiency,respectively.results: autistic children had significantly lower serum levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin d than healthy children (p < 0.001) with 40% and 48% being vitamin d deficient and insufficient,respectively. serum 25-hydroxy vitamin d had significant negative correlations with childhood autism rating scale (p < 0.001). increased levels of serum anti-mag auto-antibodies were found in 70% of autistic patients. serum 25-hydroxy vitamin d levels had significant negative correlations with serum levels of anti-mag auto-antibodies (p < 0.001).conclusions: vitamin d deficiency was found in some autistic children and this deficiency may contribute to the induction of the production of serum anti-mag auto-antibodies in these children. however,future studies looking at a potential role of vitamin d in the pathophysiology and treatment of autism are warranted. © 2012 mostafa and al-ayadhi; licensee biomed central ltd.