Peptides of neuron specific enolase as potential ASD biomarkers: from discovery to epitope mapping

Publication date: Available online 5 December 2019Source: Brain, Behavior, and ImmunityAuthor(s): Alexandra Ramirez-Celis, Elizabeth Edmiston, Joseph Schauer, Tam Vu, Judy Van de WaterAbstractAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an important health issue and affects 1 in 59 children in the US. Prior studies determined that maternal autoantibody related (MAR) autism is thought to be associated with ∼23% of ASD cases. We previously identified seven MAR-specific autoantigens including CRMP1, CRMP2, GDA, LDHA, LDHB, STIP1, and YBX1. We subsequently described the epitope peptide sequences recognized by maternal autoantibodies for each of the seven ASD-specific autoantigens. The aim of the current study was to expand upon our previous work and identify additional antigens recognized by the ASD-specific maternal autoantibodies, as well as to map the unique ASD-specific epitopes using microarray technology. Fetal Rhesus macaque brain tissues were separated by molecular weight and a fraction containing bands between 37 and 45 kDa was analyzed using 2-D gel electrophoresis, followed by peptide mass mapping using MALDI-TOF MS and TOF/TOF tandem MS/MS. Using this methodology, Neuron specific enolase (NSE) was identified as a target autoantigen and selected for epitope mapping. The full NSE sequence was translated into 15-mer peptides with an overlap of 14 amino acids onto microarray slides and probed with maternal plasma from mothers with an ASD child and from mothers with a Typically Dev...
Source: Brain, Behavior, and Immunity - Category: Neurology Source Type: research