OBJECTIVES: To test whether HLA-DR4 acts in the mother, possibly during pregnancy, to contribute to the phenotype of autistic disorder in her fetus. DESIGN: Transmission disequilibrium testing in case mothers and maternal grandparents. SETTING: Previous studies have consistently shown increased frequency of HLA-DR4 in probands with autism and their mothers, but not their fathers. However, this has been documented only in case-control studies and not by a more direct study design to determine whether HLA-DR4 acts in mothers during pregnancy to contribute to autism in their affected offspring. PARTICIPANTS: We genotyped for HLA-DR alleles in members of 31 families with parents and maternal grandparents. Probands with autism were tested using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Western Psychological Services and Autism Diagnostic Interview, Revised. There was 80% power to detect an odds ratio of 3.6. Participants were all families from New Jersey and were similar in number to earlier studies of autism and HLA-DR4. OUTCOME MEASURES: Analysis was by standard transmission disequilibrium testing. As a secondary test we examined the possibility of maternal imprinting. RESULTS: Significant transmission disequilibrium for HLA-DR4 was seen (odds ratio, 4.67; 95% confidence interval, 1.34-16.24; P = .008) for transmissions from maternal grandparents to mothers of probands, supporting a role for HLA-DR4 as an autism risk factor acting in mothers during pregnancy. Transmission disequilibrium was not seen for HLA-DR4 transmissions from parents to probands or from mothers to probands. CONCLUSIONS: The HLA-DR4 gene may act in mothers of children with autism during pregnancy to contribute to autism in their offspring. Further studies are required to confirm these findings.
OBJECTIVES: To test whether HLA-DR4 acts in the mother, possibly during pregnancy, to contribute to the phenotype of autistic disorder in her fetus. DESIGN: Transmission disequilibrium testing in case mothers and maternal grandparents. SETTING: Previous studies have consistently shown increased frequency of HLA-DR4 in probands with autism and their mothers, but not their fathers. However, this has been documented only in case-control studies and not by a more direct study design to determine whether HLA-DR4 acts in mothers during pregnancy to contribute to autism in their affected offspring. PARTICIPANTS: We genotyped for HLA-DR alleles in members of 31 families with parents and maternal grandparents. Probands with autism were tested using the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Western Psychological Services and Autism Diagnostic Interview, Revised. There was 80% power to detect an odds ratio of 3.6. Participants were all families from New Jersey and were similar in number to earlier studies of autism and HLA-DR4. OUTCOME MEASURES: Analysis was by standard transmission disequilibrium testing. As a secondary test we examined the possibility of maternal imprinting. RESULTS: Significant transmission disequilibrium for HLA-DR4 was seen (odds ratio, 4.67; 95% confidence interval, 1.34-16.24; P = .008) for transmissions from maternal grandparents to mothers of probands, supporting a role for HLA-DR4 as an autism risk factor acting in mothers during pregnancy. Transmission disequilibrium was not seen for HLA-DR4 transmissions from parents to probands or from mothers to probands. CONCLUSIONS: The HLA-DR4 gene may act in mothers of children with autism during pregnancy to contribute to autism in their offspring. Further studies are required to confirm these findings.
Authors: Karmen Schmidt; Andrew Zimmerman; Margaret Bauman; Christine Ferrone; Jacob Venter; Jessaca Spybrook; Charles Henry Journal: J Autism Dev Disord Date: 2013-04
Authors: S Jill James; Stepan Melnyk; Stefanie Jernigan; Oleksandra Pavliv; Timothy Trusty; Sara Lehman; Lisa Seidel; David W Gaylor; Mario A Cleves Journal: Am J Med Genet B Neuropsychiatr Genet Date: 2010-09 Impact factor: 3.568