Epigenetic Changes Tied to Autism Spectrum Disorder

According to a recent study published in the journal Nature, chemical modifications to DNA’s packaging — known as epigenetic changes — can activate or repress genes involved in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) and early brain development. Biochemists from NYU Langone Medical Center found that these epigenetic changes in mice remove the blocking mechanism of a protein complex long known for gene suppression, and it transitions the protein complex to a gene-activating role instead. Researchers say their findings represent the first link between this role reversal and the presence of an important protein whose encoding gene — autism susceptibility candidate gene 2, or AUTS2 — has long been tied to ASDs. Additionally, researchers say their study offers a new theory about how ASDs develop through widespread unraveling of traditional brain pathways. According to the study’s senior investigator, the findings “offer strong supporting evidence that if ASDs can be tired to widespread disruption of gene networks from multiple genetic lesions, then finding potential therapies could rest on research into repairing these gene network interruptions.” To read more about this study, click here.