Erythrocyte Deformability in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Correlation With Clinical Features

Abstract

Biomechanical properties of erythrocytes play an important role in health and disease. Deformability represents intrinsic property of erythrocytes to undergo deformation that is crucial for their passage through the narrow capillaries. The erythrocyte damage can lead to compromised tissue perfusion and consequently play a role in the pathogenesis of various diseases including neurological ones. Data available in databases indicate that erythrocytes in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are altered. This may affect the clinical symptoms of ASD. The aim of our study was to determine erythrocyte deformability in 54 children with ASD and correlate it with clinical symptoms. We found significant negative correlation between erythrocyte deformability and score in C domain of the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) diagnostic tool describing the measure of restrictive, repetitive, and stereotyped behaviors and interests, mainly observable in C1 and C2, but not in C3 and C4 subdomains. This supports the findings of other authors and suggest that behavioral domain C comprises of more subcategories with different underlying etiology. Our results also indicate that abnormalities in erythrocyte deformability may be involved in ASD pathomecha-nisms and contribute to its clinical manifestation. Further research is necessary to bring more data and identify erythrocyte deformability as prognostic biomarker in ASD.

Depressive disorders are associated with increased peripheral blood cell deformability: a cross-sectional case-control study (Mood-Morph)

“…A similar report applying centrifugation of erythrocytes through a filter of 5 µm pores quantifies erythrocyte deformability as the ratio of filtered erythrocytes to initial cell number. They examined 54 children with autism spectrum disorders and identified impaired erythrocyte deformability associated with more severe restricted and repetitive symptomatology [ 18 ].…”

“…Furthermore, proof-of-concept studies have used optical traps [ 15 ], atomic force microscopy [ 11 , 12 ], and micropipette aspiration [ 16 ] to show immune cell mechanical alterations during physiological and pathological conditions. Most likely due to the overall predominance of erythrocytes in the blood, a correlation between blood cell mechanics and mental disorders has so far only been examined by measuring erythrocyte deformability [ 17 , 18 ]. These studies have used different methods to investigate aspects of erythrocyte deformability and have identified that chronic fatigue patients have lower erythrocyte deformability than healthy controls, while children with more severe symptoms in the autism spectrum also exhibited lower erythrocyte deformability [ 17 , 18 ].…”

“…Most likely due to the overall predominance of erythrocytes in the blood, a correlation between blood cell mechanics and mental disorders has so far only been examined by measuring erythrocyte deformability [ 17 , 18 ]. These studies have used different methods to investigate aspects of erythrocyte deformability and have identified that chronic fatigue patients have lower erythrocyte deformability than healthy controls, while children with more severe symptoms in the autism spectrum also exhibited lower erythrocyte deformability [ 17 , 18 ]. However, immune cells seem to be more likely effectors of increased cortisol levels in depressed individuals through specific interactions with membrane-bound glucocorticoid receptors and also increased chronic low-grade inflammation through immune cells’ interaction with cytokines [ 19 , 20 ].…”

Depressive disorders are associated with increased peripheral blood cell deformability: A cross-sectional case-control study (Mood-Morph)

“…They examined 54 children with autism spectrum disorders and identified impaired erythrocyte deformability associated with more severe restricted and repetitive symptomatology 16 .…”

“…Furthermore, proof-of-concept studies have used optical traps 11 , atomic force microscopy 12,13 , or micropipette aspiration 14 to show immune cell mechanical alterations during physiological and pathological conditions. Most likely due to the overall predominance of erythrocytes, a correlation of blood cell mechanics and mental disorders has so far only been examined by measuring erythrocyte deformability 15,16 . However, immune cells seem to be more likely effectors of increased cortisol levels and increased chronic low-grade inflammation.…”