Autism-associated gene expression signatures in peripheral blood leucocytes

Using DNA microarray as a global approach to understanding the molecular basis of autism, we examined gene expression profiling in peripheral blood from 21 young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and healthy mothers having children with ASD, between whom there was no blood relationship. Several genes which were significantly changed in the ASD group comparing with their age- and gender-matched healthy subjects were mainly involved in cell morphology, cellular assembly and organization, and nerve system development and function. In addition, mothers having children with ASD possessed a unique gene expression signature shown as significant alterations of protein synthesis despite of their nonautistic diagnostic status. Moreover, an ASD-associated gene expression signature was commonly observed in both individuals with ASD and healthy mothers having children with ASD. Total RNA was prepared from venous blood which was taken from each subject. Gene expression profiling of venous blood from subjects with ASD (21), the healthy women who had children with ASD (21) and their age- and gender-matched healthy subjects (42) were obtained using a whole human genome oligonucleotide microarray (Agilent 44K Human whole genome array G4112F, GPL6480) to measure gene expression in these samples according to the manufacture’s protocol. The one GSM sample of microarray analysis was made by individual subject. Differentially expressed genes were determined across all rationed expression values for age- and gender-matched pairs (ASD vs. control, asdMO vs. ctrlMO) using Genespling analysis.