Alpha-Synuclein, cyclooxygenase-2 and prostaglandins-EP2 receptors as neuroinflammatory biomarkers of autism spectrum disorders: Use of combined ROC curves to increase their diagnostic values

• Published in: Lipids in health and disease 2021-11, Vol.20 (1), p.155-155, Article 155
• Main Authors: El-Ansary, Afaf, Alhakbany, Manan, Aldbass, Abeer, Qasem, Hanan, Al-Mazidi, Sarah, Bhat, Ramesa Shafi, Al-Ayadhi, Laila
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: alpha-Synuclein - blood; Alzheimer's disease; Autism; Autism Spectrum Disorder - blood; Autism Spectrum Disorder - diagnosis; Biological markers; Biomarkers; Biomarkers - blood; Case-Control Studies; Child, Preschool; Children; Consent; Cyclooxygenase 2 - blood; Cyclooxygenase-2; Cyclooxygenases; Development and progression; Diagnosis; Enzymes; Ethics; Etiology; Health aspects; Humans; Identification and classification; Inflammation; Lipid metabolism; Lipids; Male; Nerve proteins; Neurodevelopmental disorders; Neuroinflammation; Neuroinflammatory Diseases - blood; Neurological disorders; Neurotoxicity; Oxygenase; Pervasive developmental disorders; Physiological aspects; Plasma; Prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase; Prostaglandin-EP2 receptors; Prostaglandins; Proteins; Receptors, Prostaglandin E, EP2 Subtype - blood; Regression analysis; ROC Curve; Signal transduction; Statistical analysis; Synuclein; α-Synuclein
• ISSN: 1476-511X; 1476-511X
• DOI: 10.1186/s12944-021-01578-7

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments in social interaction and restricted and repetitive behaviors. Neuroinflammation and abnormal lipid mediators have been identified in multiple investigations as an acknowledged etiological mechanism of ASD that can be targeted for therapeutic intervention. In this study, multiple regression and combined receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were used to determine the relationship between the neuroinflammatory marker α-synuclein and lipid mediator markers related to inflammation induction, such as cyclooxygenase-2 and prostaglandin-EP2 receptors, in the etiology of ASD. Additionally, the study aimed to determine the linear combination that maximizes the partial area under ROC curves for a set of markers. Forty children with ASD and 40 age- and sex-matched controls were enrolled in the study. Using ELISA, the levels of α-synuclein, cyclo-oxygenase-2, and prostaglandin-EP2 receptors were measured in the plasma of both groups. Statistical analyses using ROC curves and multiple and logistic regression models were performed. A remarkable increase in the area under the curve was observed using combined ROC curve analyses. Moreover, higher specificity and sensitivity of the combined markers were reported. The present study indicates that measurement of the predictive value of selected biomarkers related to neuroinflammation and lipid metabolism in children with ASD using a ROC curve analysis should lead to a better understanding of the etiological mechanism of ASD and its link with metabolism. This information may facilitate early diagnosis and intervention.