Lower IGFBP-1 Plasma Levels in Mothers of Autistic Children

Abstract

IGF-I is an important growth factor and hormone which regulates protein turnover as well as having potent mitogenic and differentiating effects on most cell types.IGF binding proteins (IGFBP) act as carrier proteins and regulators by controlling bioavailability of IGF-I to tissues. We used immune-arrays to measure IGFBP-1in mothers of autistic children and found that the levels were significantly lower than levels in mothers of non-autistic children. IGF has been found to be decreased in autism. We suggest that these low levels are associated with low maternal IGFBP-1.