Molecular Biomarkers & Diagnosis

Laila AL-Ayadhi

Publications

• Research Article
  Indian Hedgehog Protein Levels in Autistic Children: Preliminary Results
  Author(s): Shahid Bashir and Laila AL-AyadhiShahid Bashir and Laila AL-Ayadhi
  
  The etiology of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is not well known but recently we reported that the serum levels of sonic hedgehog (SHH) protein and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) might be linked to oxidative stress in ASD. We hypothesized that Indian hedgehog (IHH) protein which belongs to SHH family may play a pathological role in the ASD. We studied recently diagnosed patients in early stages of ASD (n=54) and age-matched, cognitively normal, individuals (n=25), using serum levels of IHH protein. We found statistically significantly higher-levels of serum IHH protein in ASD subjects (p=0.001) compared to control subjects. Our findings are the first to report a role of IHH in ASD children, suggesting a possible pathological role-played by IHH in early-stage in ASD. Such measures might constitute an early biomarker for ASD and ultimately offer a target for novel biomarker-b.. Read More»
  DOI: 10.4172/2155-9929.1000134

  Abstract PDF