Evaluation of Erythropoietin and erythropoietin receptor levels in children with autistic spectrum disorder: Cross-Sectional Study
Erkan ONER 1, 1, 1*, Ergul Belge Kurutas 2, 2, 2, Hatice ALTUN 3, 3, 3
1Deparment of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Adiyaman University, Adiyaman, Türkiye, 2Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Sutcu Imam University Türkiye, 3Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Sutcu Imam University, Faculty of Medicine, Türkiye
Received: July 31, 2024; Revised: December 23, 2024; Accepted: December 31, 2024; Published online: December 31, 2024.
© The Korean College of Neuropsychopharmacology. All rights reserved.

Abstract
Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) are a heterogeneous collection of neurodevelopmental disorders with an unknown etiology. Erythropoietin is a versatile growth factor that plays a crucial role in the nervous system, exhibiting high expression in various regions of the brain, including neurons, glial cells and endothelial cells. Recent animal studies have demonstrated that Epo exerts neuroprotective and neurotrophic effects. The objective of this study was to examine the levels of erythropoietin-(Epo) and its receptor-(EpoR) in children with ASD and to elucidate the potential effects of Epo in the disorder. The study involved 50 children diagnosed with ASD based on DSM-V criteria, with ASD severity assessed using the Childhood Autism Rating Scale. Additionally, a control group of 50 healthy children was included. Serum samples were collected from both groups, and levels of Epo and its EpoR. There were no statistically significant differences between the age and sex distributions of the ASD and control groups (p > 0.05). However, analysis of the serum samples revealed a statistically significant reduction in Epo levels in the ASD cohort compared to the control. The results of our study indicate that Epo may have potential as an adjunctive therapy for children with ASD. The observed decrease in Epo levels and increase in EpoR levels in children with ASD suggest a dysregulation in the Epo-EpoR axis that may contribute to the pathophysiology of ASD. Further research is required to investigate the therapeutic effects of modulating Epo levels in ASD and to elucidate the mechanisms underlying these changes.
Keywords: Autism spectrum disorders, Erythropoietin Receptor, Erythropoietin

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