Investigating Gene-Environment Interaction in Autism: Air Pollution x

描述（由申请人提供）：在过去的10年里，自闭症谱系障碍（ASDs）的患病率一直在上升，社会负担也在增加。虽然遗传风险因素与自闭症谱系障碍有广泛的关系，但目前的增加不太可能仅仅是遗传因素造成的，环境因素可能会增加已知的遗传风险。目前对ASD儿童氧化应激和炎症生物标志物的研究表明，这些途径可能在病因学中发挥作用。我们建议研究空气污染与自闭症的关系，空气污染是一种常见的暴露，会引起炎症和氧化应激。使用作为遗传和环境研究儿童自闭症风险（CHARGE）的一部分收集的数据，我们将根据每个孩子在产前、围产期和产后每个月在家中的暴露情况，评估交通相关空气污染物在自闭症风险中的作用。我们计划对17个候选基因的384个单核苷酸多态性（snp）进行基因分型，并研究snp与空气污染的相互作用。这项工作可能为asd的病因学提供重要的见解，并为共同的环境暴露风险提供证据。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) has been increasing during the last 10 years with increasing burden on society. While genetic risk factors are widely implicated in ASDs, the current increase is not likely to result from genetic factors alone and it is possible that environmental factors may augment known genetic risks. Current research examining biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation in children with an ASD suggests that these pathways may play a role in etiology. We propose to examine the association of air pollution, a common exposure that induces inflammation and oxidative stress, with autism. Using data collected as part of the Childhood Autism Risks from Genetics and the Environment Study (CHARGE) we will assess the role of traffic related air pollutants in autism risk based on monthly exposure at each child's home during prenatal, perinatal and postnatal time points. We plan to genotype 384 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 17 candidate genes and to examine SNP-air pollution interactions. This work may provide important insight into the etiology of ASDs and evidence for risk due to a common environmental exposure. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: In this study we seek to examine if air pollution due to traffic, a common environmental exposure, increases risk for ASD. We will also examine genes that process pollutants in the body to determine if they are different in children with and without autism, and to see if these genes interact with air pollution to increase autism risk. We believe that this work may provide important insight into what causes ASDs and evidence for risk due to a common exposure increasing in the environment (traffic related air pollution).