Secretagogin (SCGN) plasma levels and their association with cognitive and social behavior in children with autism spectrum disorder ASD).
Author: Alhowikan, A. M., Ayadhi, L. A., & Halepoto, D. M.
Source:
J Coll Physici, 27, 222-226.
Objective: To investigate the secretagogin (SCGN) plasma levels in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
compared to age and gender-matched healthy control, and its association with cognitive and social behaviors by using
childhood autism rating scale (CARS) and social responsiveness scale (SRS).
Study Design: Case-control study.
Place and Duration of Study: Autism Research and Treatment Center, Al-Amodi Autism Research Chair, Department of
Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from October
2015 to May 2016.
Methodology: SCGN levels were determined in the plasma of thirty-seven (37) autistic children using enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assay (ELISA), categorized as mild-moderate and severe as indicated by their CARS scores and
compared with thirty (30) age and gender-matched control samples. Correlation between SCGN levels and different
cognitive and social behavior scales (CARS and SRS) was determined by Spearman's correlation coefficient (r).
Results: The results indicated that autistic children (n=37) had significantly (p= 0.005) lower plasma level of SCGN {45.7
(26.2) ng/ml [median (IQR)]} than those of healthy controls {n=30, 70.8 (48.6) ng/ml [median (IQR)]}. Children with severe
(n=28, 76%) as well as mild to moderate autism (n=09, 24%) also exhibited significantly lower SCGN levels {47.5 (27)
ng/ml [median (IQR)], p =0.014} and {45.7 (16.6) ng/ml [median (IQR)], p = 0.02)}, respectively than healthy controls
{n=30, 70.8 (48.6) ng/ml [median (IQR)]}. However, there was no significant difference between the SCGN levels of
children with mild to moderate and severe autism (p = 0.66). Spearman's correlation coefficient (r) was used to determine
the relationships between SCGN levels and different variables (CARS, SRS). However, the results showed no significant
correlation between SCGN and these scales. (CARS, r=-0.03, p=0.86; SRS, r=0.21, p=0.20).
Conclusion: The low SCGN plasma levels in children with ASD probably indicate that SCGN might be implicated in the
pathogenesis of autism. However, these data should be treated with caution until further investigations are performed
using larger sample sizes to determine whether the decrease in plasma SCGN levels is a mere consequence of autism
or it plays a pathogenic role in the disease.