Treating Autism-Immune System Balancing and Stem Cell Activating Therapies

Linking the Immune System with Stem Cell Health to Treat ASD Children

We have been testing immune/inflammatory response, oxidative stress and growth factor/neurotrophin biomarkers in the blood sera of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). We did this testing using our Quantibody Arrays.

The purpose of these tests were to establish a baseline for the state of these children's immune system and stem cell health. In this baseline testing, we found that all had high immune/inflammatory response, oxidative stress and low levels of the growth factors/neurotrophins needed for repairing and regenerated damaged cells/tissue (stem cell health).

We then treated these children with customized combinations of immune balancing and stem cell activating agents with the goal of showing that any improvement in ASD related symproms would be confirmed by positive modulations of biomarkers that are dysregulated in this disorder. We re-test at 6 months after initiation of the treatment plans.

The goal of our treatment strategies is to balance the immune system and activate the natural cell/tissue repair and regeneration (stem cell) processes. We call this the immunoLink^TM.

We are seeing improvement in the symptoms of the first 2 children recently retested and a marked improvement in the levels of their biomarkers. Here's data from one of the children. Note that key immune/inflammatory response markers have now moderated to the levels of healthy controls.

Graphs: Comparison of initial testing (red) and 6 month re-test (green) vs healthy controls (blue) for one of our ASD Children

We are developing a website that will have a wealth of information to help parents determine treatment strategies for ASD Children. We are also making our treatment plans and strategies available to interested parents. The website ecosystem will be named immunoLink^TM Therapies.

In the meantime, should you want to investigate if we could help your child, do not hesitate to contact me e-mail: pshuster@neuromics.com or cell: 612-801-1007. Pete Shuster, CEO and Owner.

Immune/Inflammatory Response and Autism

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Children and Immune/Inflammatory Response Markers

Persistent chronic inflammation/immune response and oxidative stress are hallmarks of ASD. Like autoimmune diseases, an unbalanced immune system leads to unwanted assaults on healthy tissue. In ASD Children, inflammatory/immune response proteins could cross the Blood-Brain Barrier resulting in ongoing neuro-inflammation. This throws out of balance the natural pruning and repair cycle in the brain and could drive the related behaviors and symptoms of ASD Children.

We have been working with ASD children from central Europe residing in areas of heavy industry. All have unhealthy levels of metals in there blood stream and most have persistent viral and/or bacterial infection. This testing is part of our treatment program. Our treatment strategy involves first removing heavy metals and related toxins and the adding stem cell activators (stem cells are key players in modulating the immune system and repairing damage).

Previously I reported results from our testing for neuro growth/repair and oxidative stress markers using our custom ASD array. Here, I report on results from our measuring well known immune/inflammatory markers in 6 of these ASD children. The markers studied were: (IL-2, IL-6 and TNF-alpha). All of the markers were elevated when compared to healthy children. Here're the results:

Graphs: ASD vs Healthy Controls (*Healthy Control Data from Kim et al. Journal of Translational Medicine. 2011: 9:113)

Here's more on these markers:

•  IL-2 is involved in immune regulation. It is one of the key factors in transplant regulation. It is also elevated in many children suffering from ASD. This elevation could be caused by toxins, chronic infection or genetic abnormalities. It should be also noted that IL-2 can cross the blood brain barrier making it a culprit in the symptoms of ASD. 
• IL-6 is a potent pro-inflammatory agent that plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of systemic inflammatory diseases like ASD.
• TNF-a has been implicated as main effector of the functional consequences of neuroinflammation on neurodegeneration.

We are seeing improvements in symptoms and behaviors in the ASD Children undergoing treatment. We are early in the our Stem Cell Activating treatment phase. Our plans call for a cycles of testing and treating. If the tests yields movement of these markers to healthy levels, this will confirm how well our these treatments are working. Our plans our to openly share data.

If you would like to learn more about our testing and treatment regimes, I can be reached @ pshuster@neuromics.com or 612-801-1007.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Custom Array Results

Blood Serum Levels and Key Markers

We have been testing immune/inflammatory response, oxidative stress and growth factor markers in ASD children from central Europe. Most showed high levels of  related cytokines and chemokines.

From our initial testing and published results, we have developed a custom Quantibody Array to test ASD children. The markers in this array are: BDNF, HSP-70, Leptin, RAGE and TGF-beta1.

Figure: Serum Levels of Key Markers in Tested ASD Children

Here's more on each marker:

• BDNF is a protein involved in making healthy new neurons. This protein is dis-regulated in autism. It is shown to be decreased in some studies and increased in others. These variations could be a function of age. During brain development, BDNF regulates the birth and differentiation of brain cells, or neurons. Some of BDNF’s target cells, such as cortical interneurons, which transmit information between different layers of the brain cortex, have been implicated in autism. BDNF is also a regulator of brain growth, and children with the disorder tend to have abnormally large brains during early development. Vigorous exercise, for example, increases BDNF levels in blood and studies have linked this increase to growth of new healthy neurons in the hippocampus region of the brain. We found all ASD children tested showed low levels of BDNF. All had moderate to high levels of heavy metals and viral/bacterial pathogens. Most also had evidence of leaky blood brain barriers. Could this low level be due to consumption of BDNF demanded by the chronic need for neuro-repair or is genetic in origin or perhaps both?
• HSP70 is strongly upregulated by heat stress and toxic chemicals, particularly heavy metals such as: aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, copper, mercury, etc. This upregulation in ASD could be linked to difficulty is in clearing toxins. Children with highest tested HSP70 levels also had the highest concentration of heavy metals. The 3 children with healthy levels have been undergoing ongoing treatment to clear metals.
• Leptin modulates appetite and energy tough elevated levels of leptin present in cases of autism might be an important sign of immune processes, particularly those related to inflammation. It is also suggested leptin may be a link between autism and epilepsy that provides an avenue for novel or better management of autistic children with epilepsy. All were in the range of published healthy controls (mean=2065 pg/ml).
• RAGE is hypothesised to have a causative effect in a range of inflammatory diseases such as diabetic complications, Alzheimer's Disease and even some tumors. In ASD, it is thought to be a master switch for chronic inflammation. Including in the brain. RAGE is a receptor for S100B so it is also elevated in ASD and is reflective of neurological damage. All showed elevated serum levels of rage.
• TGF-beta1 is a protein that controls proliferation, cellular differentiation, and other functions in most cells. This control includes tissue repair in the nervous system. Decreased transforming growth factor beta1 in autism is a potential link between immune dysregulation and impairment in clinical behavioral outcomes. 6 of 8 of the children had low TGF-beta1 levels. Though the correlation between symptoms and behaviors is not conclusive.

We plan to significantly increase the samples of ASD children tested using this custom Quantibody Array. . 

Our ultimate goal is to use this array as a tool to determine the efficacy of therapies we are developing. Our goals is to develop natural products based therapies that are proven to activate stem cells. These cells could catalyze immune response modulation and tissue repair. The process is to first clear metals and pathogens, then treat with stem cell activators and test and fine tune treatments and test again. 

I will be posting results on an ongoing basis. I also welcome any and all comments. I am available for direct contact at pshuster@neuromics.com or 612-801-1007.

Autism, Inflammation and Stem Cell Enhancers

Proving the Therapeutic Value

We have been running Quantibody® Antibody Arrays on blood serum of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). All reside in areas of heavy industry in Central Europe. All have elevated levels of one or several heavy metals.

These assays are being run as part of our strategy of treating these children with natural stem cell enhancing supplements. Here are the average serum levels of 2 cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-alpha) and 1 related chemokine (CCL3). All of the children had elevated levels vs healthy controls:

Figure: Serum ASD levels vs Healthy Controls (pg/ml)

TNF-alpha and IL-6 promotes the immune/inflammatory response. These two cytokines are guided to sites (including the CNS) of infection or tissue damage by the chemokine CCL-3 and others. In the normal process, the site(s) of immune response are cleaned (the response) of infection and/or damaged tissue and then repaired. The key with autoimmune diseases and disorders, is that that this process becomes a continuous loop; hence, these cytokines and chemokines are elevated. If the loop is broken or down modulated, the the levels of these should decrease.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are immunomodulating and anti-inflammatory. We plan on testing candidate substances (all our currently available as natural supplements) on kinetic assays using our umbilical cord blood human mesenchymal stem cells. These will enable us to quantify  cell growth and expansion. We also plan on testing the best candidates on our human neurons to see the effects on cell behavior.

We will then determine safe dosing working with experts in the U.S. and Europe. During treatment, we will again be testing serum to see if the levels of these and other key Cytokines, Chemokines and Growth Factors. This will give proof as to to whether or not the treatments are working. If so, we should see the serum levels of these move toward to those of healthy controls.

I plan on making more data as it becomes available.

Autism, Heavy Metals, BDNF and HSP-70

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Testing using Custom Quantibody® Array

We recently completed testing blood serum from ASD children. These children were all from Central Europe and lived in cities with heavy industries. All had elevated levels of heavy metals like Aluminum and Copper. We believe that these levels may be contributing to the pathogenesis of the ASD symptoms.

Though the sample was small, the results were striking. The elevated levels of Heat Shock Protein 70 (HSP 70) is consistent with high heavy metal toxicity. Studies have reported both elevated and decreased levels of Brian Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) vs healthy controls, but is always reduced in subjects with high heavy metal blood serum levels. Could these elevated heavy metals be a root factor ASD Children?

Based on these findings, we have proposed a 2 pronged treatment strategy:

1. Bring heavy metal serum levels into acceptable balance.
2. Treat ASD children with natural stem cell enhancing substances

Stem Cells are immune/inflammation supressive and capable of repairing tissue damage. Our theory is that this could result in improvement in ASD related symptoms. Testing serum levels of BDNF, HSP-70 and other select bio-markers would confirm therapeutic efficacy.

I will be posting results updates here so stay tuned.

Autism Spectrum Disorder and Biomarkers

We used our IFN-gamma and BDNF Sandwich Elisa Kits to test the levels of these biomarkers in the blood serum of 2 individuals with Austism Spectrum Disorder. We anticipated  that BDNF would be significantly up or down regulated and IFN-gamma up regulated as confirmed by the literature. see 10.1371/journal.pone.0020470 , DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0020470 and DOI: 10.1111/acps.12071.

Our testing results showed:

Figure 1: ASD and Biomarker Levels

Based on these initial findings we are developing a custom Quantibody® Antibody Array designed for the fine tuned testing of individuals with ASD. The biomarkers included in the array will be: HSP70, TGF-beta2, 

Caspase-7, IFN-gamma and BDNF.

Figure 2: ASD Markers vs Controls

These panels will enable us to determine the severity of ASD. From the results, we will be working with our collaborators to determine potential cell based therapies for improving the symptom and behaviors of ASD sufferers. As part of the therapeutic regimes the panels can then be used check on progress towards "wellness". 

This a key initiative for us in 2014 so stay tuned.

CIRM Stem Cell Research Updates: Autism syndrome modeled in lab dish points to futu...

CIRM Stem Cell Research Updates: Autism syndrome modeled in lab dish points to futu...: Here's a major stumbling block in developing therapies for human diseases -- ..Here's a major stumbling block in developing therapies for human diseases -- it's hard to find a fix if you don't really know what's wrong. Take autism spectrum disorders. By now doctors are pretty good at identifying signs of the disease, but without access to brain cells researchers don't really know what's going wrong.

This work is being done by Dr. Ricardo Dolmetsch and his team at Stanford. They are particularly interested in understanding how electrical activity and calcium signals control the development of the brain and how this is altered in children with autism spectrum disorders.

I plan on posting more here as part of my featuring the work of key Autism Researchers like Dr. Valerie Hu at GWU. She will also be featured on my "News Behind the Neuroscience News" Blog at www.neuromics.net.