Correlation Between Inflammatory and Neurotrophic Factors in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Identification of Potential Diagnostic and Predictive Biomarkers

Emerging evidence indicates that interactions between inflammatory and neurotrophic factors play a crucial role in the pathophysiology of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study aimed to evaluate serum levels of high-mobility group box-1 protein (HMGB1), epidermal growth factor (EGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB), and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) in Saudi children with ASD compared to age-matched neurotypical controls to investigate their potential roles as biomarkers for early diagnosis and therapeutic targeting. This case–control study included 25 children with ASD (aged 3-11 years) and 25 typically developing children of matching age. Serum levels of the target biomarkers were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. Children with ASD exhibited significantly higher serum levels of HMGB1, NGAL, BDNF, and TrkB, along with significantly lower levels of EGF compared with the control group ( P = 0.0001). The observed alterations in inflammatory and neurotrophic factors may contribute to ASD pathology and could serve as promising diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, as well as potential therapeutic targets for related brain disorders.