Diagnostic methods for the detection of risk of neurodevelopmental disorders

Abstract

The present invention provides methods of identifying markers indicative of the risk of developing a neurodevelopmental disorder caused in part by antibody- or autoantibody-mediated damage of neural tissue, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The invention further provides methods of diagnosing whether an individual has a neurodevelopmental disorder, including an ASD, and methods for determining the risk that a mother's future offspring will develop an a neurodevelopmental disorder, including an ASD.

1 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A method for identifying a mother's propensity for having a child with a neurodevelopmental disorder, comprising:
 providing a fluid tissue sample from a mother, potential mother, or a mother-to-be,   determining the presence of one or more antibodies against a human fetal neural protein in said sample, wherein at least one said human fetal neural proteins has an apparent molecular weight of about 70 kD or an apparent molecular weight of about 42 kD, the apparent molecular weight being based on 4 to 15% gradient SDS-PAGE under reducing conditions; and   wherein the presence of said one or more antibodies is indicative of a risk for bearing a child with a neurodevelopmental disorder.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the fluid sample is one or more of blood, serum, plasma, or cerebrospinal fluid. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the sample is a prenatal sample. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the sample is from a pregnant woman. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the neurodevelopmental disorder is Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the mother has a child with ASD. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the presence of said antibodies is identified by immunoassay. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the immunoassay is an immunoblot. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein the antibodies are detected with labeled secondary antibodies. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein intervention for ASD is initiated as a result of detecting said antibodies. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising identifying the presence of antibodies against a fetal neural protein having an apparent molecular weight of about 57 kD, the apparent molecular weight based on 4 to 15% gradient SDS-PAGE under reducing conditions. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising identifying the presence of antibodies against a fetal neural protein(s) having an apparent molecular weight of a doublet of between about 60 and 70 kD, the apparent molecular weight being based on 4 to 15% gradient SDS-PAGE under reducing conditions. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein a sample positive for said antibodies contains antibodies that produce a staining pattern against human fetal brain of Group A or Group B depicted in  FIG. 5 . 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein Group A is defined by two bands with an apparent molecular weight of about 57 kD and about 70 kD, and Group B is defined by a band with an apparent molecular weight of about 42 kD and bands with apparent molecular weights of between about 60 and about 70 kD.