Scientists have identified a series of human sperm biomarkers that can accurately predict the chances of children developing autism spectrum disorder (ASD) – a finding that may be important for better understanding and the management of the situation.
Although the study included a small sample size of just 26 fathers, the strong relationship between the biomarkers and ASD suggests that it would be worthwhile to pull this research thread forward to help explain some of the mysteries that still haunt the development of autism.
In particular, the researchers looked at sperm epigenetics: changes in the way genes are expressed and processed by the body, rather than changes in the underlying DNA code, and often linked to environmental factors.
“We can now use this to find out if a man is going to pass on autism to his children,” said biologist Michael Skinner, of Washington State University.
“It’s also a big step toward identifying what factors may be triggering autism.”
The study included samples from 13 men who had killed autistic children (case) and 13 men who did not (control). In a study of DNA methylation components – specific chemical changes in gene expression – the team identified 805 potential biomarkers.
They then blinded eight of the samples and repeated to see if these were an issue or a control. In another blinded test of 10 additional sperm samples, the scientists were able to use their DNA methylation results to predict whether the men had killed autistic children with an accuracy level of about 90 percent.
Not only could the study be extended to predict the chances for men of becoming a father with autism, but it could also provide information on how to these epigenetic changes come first, according to the researchers – perhaps giving us a way to do something about them.
“We discovered years ago that environmental factors can alter the organism, sperm or egg, epigenetics,” Skinner says. “With this tool, we were able to conduct larger population-based studies to see what types of environmental factors might trigger these types of epigenetic changes.”
With a sharp rise in children diagnosed with ASD over the past few decades, experts want to learn as much as they can about the causes of the condition – and if we can predict it, we should be able to manage it better too.
While the inheritance of autism is not something scientists fully understand, fathers are more often linked to the transmission of ASD than mothers, making the results of the current research even more valuable.
Although the small sample size of this study means that it is too early to make a general generalization, the research shows that this is a link worth pursuing – and a larger clinical trial is being planned. following the same approach already.
“While a major clinical trial is needed to further validate the biomarkers and their potential diagnostics, the current study provides conceptual validation for the assay and biomarkers,” the hacker wrote. in their paper.
The research was published in Clinical epigenetics.